CALEB NICKERSON
SHAWVILLE Feb. 1, 2019
On Friday afternoon, students and staff from Pontiac High School, along with a large contingent of guests, gathered in the school’s welding shop for a barbeque celebrating a generous donation and former teacher.
The event marked a donation of $30,000 from the Canadian Welding Bureau’s charitable arm, the CWB Welding Foundation, which was used to purchase some brand new equipment for the shop. It also served as a celebration of the life of previous welding instructor Sylvio Richard, who passed away suddenly late last year.
The donation went towards eight 3-in-1 multi-process welding machines, two ac/dc square wave TIG welding machines, a plasma cutter and all the necessary attachments and consumables, CWB Welding Foundation Partnership and Stewardship Officer Leanna Baldin explained in an email.
The pristine equipment was lined up outside the welding booths for all to see.
PHS Principal Debra Stephens was excited that the new tools will allow students to master more techniques during their time at school.
“Every booth has the capacity [for multiple types of welding],” she said. “It means we’ll be teaching the students so much more advanced skills. They can test in grade 10 and grade 11 from the CWB to get their welding tickets, so they have the possibility of getting up to four different positions in their welding tickets by the time they graduate.”
Stephens added that the CWB has provided supplies to the school previously, but never this much in one instalment.
There are currently 45 students in the program between grades 9 and 11, and Stephens explained that shop classes are usually confined to vocational schools in Quebec, rather than high schools.
“We are the only high school in the province that runs a welding program,” she said. “[CWB] are quite supportive of us. We have always turned out really top-quality welders.”
Stephens pointed out that it’s a real leg up in the job market if students can start accumulating welding certifications while still in school.
“If you have a 15-year-old student starting to experiment and say ‘Is this something that I want to do?’ that’s so much better than having to wait to graduate high school and then decide,” she said. “It’s a huge motivating factor for our students, especially the ones that are hands-on learners. Not everybody learns best sitting at a desk.”
Stephens also took the opportunity to honour Richard’s memory, as he was a beloved mentor to many students, including his daughter-in-law (and the program’s current instructor), Megan Tubman. Stephens sent Tubman off on maternity leave with a gift of some welding-themed baby clothes and welcomed her temporary replacement (and husband) Sebastien Richard.
