Area women interested in a career in welding can begin registering now for the Women in Welding program at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP).

Two sessions of the no-cost, week-long intensive training program have been scheduled, officials said.

• 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day Dec. 12-16, 2022
• 4 to 10 p.m. each day Jan. 9-13, 2023

The sessions will be offered through the Terry L. “Bo” Pace Advanced Welding and Fabrication Technology Program in the Terry L. “Bo” Pace Industrial Science Center at MSU-WP, officials said.

Participants will learn the basic welding skills needed to fill technician-level full-time jobs or enter registered apprenticeship opportunities in the welding industry, officials said.

Each session is limited to 10 participants, and childcare assistance is available.

The cost of the program is being covered by a Women in Welding workforce grant from the Missouri Scholarship and Loan Foundation (MSLF). The MSLF was created in 2010 and is a tax-exempt, nonprofit, 501(C)(3) corporation.

The foundation was formed by the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA) to help make higher education more accessible and affordable for Missouri families, according to the foundation’s website.

To apply for the Women in Welding program, visit WP.MissouriState.edu/Workforce and click on the “Non-Credit Programs” link on the left side of the page. Information about the program can be found at the top of the “Non-Credit Programs” page with the application link directly below it.

For more information, contact Sheila Barton, director of workforce development, at 417-255-7784 or SheilaFBarton@MissouriState.edu.