Outdoor welding lab will offer students valuable ‘real-life, hands-on experience’

Work is underway on an outdoor welding lab on that will provide Piedmont Technical College (PTC) students with “real-life” experience as they prepare to enter the workforce.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the $650,000 structure was held earlier this fall. It is being built on PTC’s Lex Walters Campus-Greenwood beside the William “Billy” O’Dell Center for Manufacturing Excellence. Construction should be completed in spring 2026.

“The importance of this project is that it will actually give students more real-life, hands-on experience,” said Engineering and Industrial Technology Dean Christina Knight. “It basically brings the industry to the classroom.”

Jim Ladd, director of PTC’s welding program, said, “Establishing an outdoor welding lab provides students with a dynamic and realistic training environment that closely mirrors the conditions they will encounter in the field. Unlike the controlled atmosphere of an indoor shop, outdoor welding introduces variables such as wind, temperature fluctuations, lighting changes, and uneven terrain—factors that welders must learn to adapt to in real-world job sites, especially in construction, pipeline and structural steel industries. “

Ladd said that by training in an outdoor setting, students gain:
•    Hands-on experience with environmental challenges, improving their ability to troubleshoot and adjust techniques under less-than-ideal conditions.
•    ·Enhanced safety awareness, as they learn to navigate and mitigate risks associated with outdoor workspaces.
•    Greater confidence and adaptability, preparing them to work effectively in diverse job environments.
•    Exposure to industry-relevant scenarios, such as field fabrication, repair work and mobile welding operations.

“This approach not only strengthens technical skills but also fosters resilience, problem-solving, and professionalism—key attributes employers seek in today’s workforce,” Ladd said. “An outdoor welding lab bridges the gap between classroom instruction and jobsite reality, ensuring our students are not just certified, but truly career-ready.”