08/31/2026
In Ms. Wilson’s Welding Class at the CATE Center, students are learning that great craftsmanship starts long before the welding begins. This hands-on project challenged students to take an idea from a computer screen and turn it into a functional, one-of-a-kind piece of furniture. Students first created their designs using bitmap software, preparing them to be cut on the plasma water table. While the technology does much of the cutting, the process still requires an incredible amount of precision, patience, and attention to detail.
Students must carefully supervise where the drill points enter the material, making sure each cut is properly aligned. A small mistake can cause a cut to blow out part of the design or leave pieces misaligned, meaning students have to think ahead and pay close attention throughout the entire process. Once their designs were cut, students took their pieces to the next step in turning them into functional end tables! Each table showcases the students’ creativity and technical skills while demonstrating how welding and fabrication can transform an idea into something useful and unique.
Projects like these are exactly what makes the CATE Center such an exciting place for students to explore career pathways. As CATE Center Welding classes continue to fill up, students are gaining more than technical skills, they’re developing problem-solving abilities, precision, creativity, and hands-on experience that can help prepare them for life after graduation. Even more importantly, the CATE Center provides students with opportunities to build connections and begin developing professional networks within their chosen fields. Ms. Wilson is in her 12th year of teaching welding, and continues to go above and beyond for each of her students. We are so grateful for your expertise, Ms. Wilson!
