Staff report

TROY — The Hobart Institute of Welding Technology recently announced the start of a major renovation project that will offer a new approximately 9,000-square-foot welcome center, moving the current visitor entrance off North Street to the front of the building at 400 Trade Square East.

This welcome center will greet all visitors to campus and act as a center piece for all prospective college students looking to gain a career in welding. The space will be dedicated to welding education, welding career pathways, college life in Troy, a glimpse of welding history, and the students’ future and industry offerings. The anticipated move-in date is early July, and the construction is being done by Ferguson Construction.

“This space will be a testament to the welding industry making all those who visit educated on the world of welding and its career offerings,” said Scott A. Mazzulla, president and CEO of the institute.

Once through the welcome center doors, the space will open to a large student resource center that will house the Blankenbuehler Memorial Library. The student resource center will boast additional tour rooms and meeting spaces, a 50-seat auditorium, and several offices. The space will be outfitted with VR technology and PCs to assist students and alumni with career searching activities and is completely dedicated to Welding Career Placement.

“Assisting students in finding careers as they complete their education is a top priority for my team,” said Melinda Gladish, Marketing and Career Development manager. “The institute maintains a robust job board for both current students and alumni that contains welding positions from all over the country. It is truly a great time to be a welder.”

In any given year, the Hobart Institute welcomes over 600 individuals along their families and hundreds of students on field trips to campus for a college tour. This newly renovated space will welcome each of them to campus and immediately teach them about careers in welding and college life in Troy.

“This space serves a great responsibility to showcase the skill trade of welding in an incredible light,” said Mazzulla. “This is a substantial investment in our mission. This welcome center will be the beginning of every visitor’s welding education.”

Coming to Hobart Institute of Welding Technology is about more than just learning how to weld. It’s an overall experience making new friends, networking with many employers, and learning from the most highly skilled welding instructors on the planet. Completing the overall experience of attending Hobart Institute of Welding, is a graduate employment rate of greater than 90% for the programs offered at the institute. This new space will help showcase the ample career opportunities available to them.