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Florence-Darlington Technical College Wins Third Grant to Fund Piping Academy

Submitted by: Clay Williams on Jul 15, 2010 at 1:59 pm Tagged with: Nuclear Welding Source: Florence-Darlington Technical College

Florence-Darlington Technical College has won a third major grant from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to create a Valve Technician training program for the College’s Piping Academy.
The NRC and the nuclear power industry are expecting a growth boom for new nuclear power plants. The most recent grant is allowing the FDTC Piping Academy to add Valve Tech as the third component of the academy along with pipe welding and pipe fitting.
The Piping Academy is based at FDTC’s Advanced Welding and Cutting and was created to fill pipe and valve craftsman positions in the expanding nuclear power industry. The nearly $139,000 grant brings the total of NRC grants to FDTC to just under $715,000.
Welding Center Director Ross Gandy said, “We hope to begin classes in the fall and are working closely with our industry partners to place our graduates in high paying jobs.” Valve Techs can make between $18 and $40 an hour according to Gandy.
Progress Energy recently donated $40,000 to the Piping Academy and College officials are also working with NUCOR Steel, ESAB Cutting & Welding, DZ Atlantic, Day and Zimmer, EISI, Carolina Eastman, E.H Wachs and Thompson Industrial.