Welding, auto repair, HVAC: Collinsville center expands trade training for students

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. (First Alert 4) - Sparks are flying at the Collinsville Area Vocational Center, where students are learning trades hands-on.

A new expansion now has room for more than 900 students to learn skills in welding, building, machining and more. School leaders say the growth was overdue.

It was made possible by a $25 million investment by the State of Illinois.

“We’ve been turning hundreds of kids away every year, so the amount of seats that we had available and the number of students wanting to come here has always been exceeding that number,” said Joe McGinnis, the center’s director.

The center’s new programming this year includes HVAC, and an EMT class is being held in the old facility.

Students come from 12 Metro East high schools. For some, it’s their first look at life after graduation. McGinnis said the programs lead in several directions.

“Whether it’s direct to workforce, we have college routes, we have routes that take you to a trade school or to a community college,” McGinnis said.

Every trade now has a dedicated classroom and workspace.

In welding, instructor Adam Kress runs class like a job site. “Whenever my students come in, basically what we do is we get set up. We have about a half an hour to an hour of class work time. And then basically kind of trying to make this to where it’s like a job ran out in the field,” Kress said.

In the new building, auto mechanics instructor Aaron Schuster says students are safer, teachers are happier and learning is more efficient.

“We have access to so much things quicker. We’re not working on top of each other. And because we’re not on top of each other, safety is huge. So we used to have only feet between the cars. And now we have plenty of room for activities in the middle here to do all kinds of stuff,” Schuster said.

Students say the extra room is helping them build skills they can use after graduation.

Gregory Ballinger, a student, shared, “I knew a little bit about cars coming in here. But now I know, like right now we’re actively taking apart a motor, That’s not something you do in your backyard for fun.”

Another student, Armando Ortega, said he sees the skills lasting well beyond the classroom.

“It’s some skills you can carry on throughout your life. And, like, it’ll help you a lot,” Armando said, “Welding is something I enjoy. I encourage people to do that too, especially younger people, to find what they love to do and to carry on with a passion with that.”

The center plans to add aviation and veterinary assistance courses in the future.