Oct 12, 2014 4 min read

Unlike so many of his peers, Scott Natoli was on a career path in high school.

“I did my senior project on welding at Trinity,” said the 2014 Trinity graduate, who is enamored of a profession that not only is reborn, but gathering momentum.

“I love it. I want to do this very badly. I’m not concerned about pay right now. If I get a job in welding, it’s for me.”

Natoli is striding briskly down that path. He is a member of the first class of welding students at Penn Commercial Business and Technical School, which opened its newly built lab to them Sept. 2 – and which had its ceremonial grand opening for the facility Thursday afternoon.

Political dignitaries, corporate leaders, school officials and, of course, students were on hand for the celebration. The lab is at the back of Penn Commercial, situated in Oak Spring Center, South Strabane Township.

“We’re very excited about this,” said Bob Bazant, president of the school. “It’s nice to see (welding) come back.”

It is a vocation that, likewise, is coming back at Penn Commercial. Bazant said the school had a welding program in the late 1970s, but when that industry flagged, so did the need for welders – and welding classes.

The drought was long lasting, but not permanent. The oil and gas phenomenon and the emerging revival of manufacturing have helped fuel a renewed demand for welding. And that demand is acute here in the Marcellus Shale region.

Nicole Lane, director of education, said Bazant proposed a revival of welding at Penn Commercial “three Octobers ago.”

Ground for the lab was broken April 10. Chuck Kosey was the project coordinator ,and Masco Construction Inc. of McMurray handled construction, with able-bodied assistance from students. They helped install electrical and ventilation systems and drafted blueprints.

Voila. Instruction began less than five months later.

The project got a major financial boost – $300,000 – from the 2013 Washington County Local Share Account, which came from gambling revenues at The Meadows Casino in 2012.

“We would not have started without the LSA funds,” Lane said.

Penn Commercial’s lab occupies 1,600 square feet, features 20 welding booths and is easily accessed through a rear doorway. Students are in an 11-month program that ends with a diploma and all necessary certifications.

Natoli doesn’t hesitate when asked his graduation date: July 31, 2015.

This is a day-only program, alternating between lab work and lectures in the morning or afternoon. It can accommodate as many as 40 students, 20 at a time in either dynamic.

The rise to 40 could be rapid. Marianne Albert, vice president of operations, said there are 25 current welding students and that 15 will enter the program at the end of November.

“As soon as we have 40, we will start evening classes,” Albert said. “We could start them early next year.”

Oh, and of the 25 classmates, 24 are male. Darla Hughey is the gender exception.

Thursday’s event kicked off with a ribbon-cutting and wise words, including a very appropriate analogy by Diana Irey Vaughan, Washington County commissioner.

“Welding is putting two components together, just as this program is putting a skilled workforce and companies together,” said Irey Vaughan, who was accompanied by her commission contemporaries, Larry Maggi and Harlan Shober.

“The gas industry is great, but a lot of other industries need welders,” Shober said.

“These are careers. This is a perfect match of private and public sectors that will benefit Washington County,” said state Rep. Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane Township, who spoke after state Sen. Tim Solobay, D-Canonsburg.

Welding is the 15th career program offered at Penn Commercial, which opened in 1929 and relocated to Oak Spring Road in 2001. For Natoli, it is the ideal program.

“I never liked sitting at a desk,” Natoli said. “I’ve always liked working with my hands.”

He is embracing that opportunity.