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Written by: Caleb Sanderson

91��Ƭ�� now offers Welding Technology classes at Rose Hill High School taught by 91��Ƭ�� Welding alumni and industry-professional Jake Duerksen. Classes begin in August at the new state-of-the-art welding lab. Seats are limited and open to all students, including the Early College Academy (ECA).  

Duerksen has collaborated with both 91��Ƭ��’s Facilities Management team and Rose Hill High School USD 394 to address the industry standards students must meet as working welding professionals. The curriculum at this new location is the same applied learning taught in El Dorado. 91��Ƭ��’s Welding labs offer ten booths at the Rose Hill location and 15 in El Dorado.  

"I am excited to join 91��Ƭ��'s CTE Division as Lead Welding Instructor at 91��Ƭ��'s Rose Hill Welding lab, teaching new welders as well as sharing my knowledge and love of welding,” Duerksen said. “I hope my experience in welding and manufacturing will help grow the Rose Hill program, developing new welders to prepare them for the workforce when they graduate." 

Duerksen comes to 91��Ƭ�� as a new full-time instructor with years of industry experience, most recently at Koch Industries. His accomplishments as a professional welder and his time in 91��Ƭ��’s Welding program as a student helped him contribute to this new location launch. 

“We are excited about Jake joining the College’s team of dedicated faculty and our partnership with USD 394,” Dean of Career and Technical Education Peter Linden said. “Both Welding labs will also benefit from the input of our Welding program's Industry Advisory Committee, which always welcomes new members.” 

This new location stems from a successful partnership between 91��Ƭ�� and Rose Hill established more than ten years ago with the first cohort of Early College Academy students, with only seven high school students.  

According to Dean of Online, High School and Community Learning Heather Rinkenbaugh, this location allows high school students who cannot attend El Dorado campus classes to still receive welding instruction. “The start of Welding came from conversations with high school partners who indicated that other programs in the area were full, including 91��Ƭ��’s program on the El Dorado campus. Rose Hill is a proven location that attracts high school students in the southern part of our service area,” Rinkenbaugh said. 

91��Ƭ�� Welding courses are consistent with the American Welding Society (AWS) standards.  

A ribbon cutting for the new facility with 91��Ƭ��’s new president, Dr. Tamara Daniel, is being planned as part of the new program launch.