He is realistic about how difficult it is to
break into professional racing, and said
there are hundreds of other kids out there
with the same dream. This is why he’s
counting on his welding skills to help him
carve out a future in welding, possibly
working in the aerospace industry.
in welders at his own company and why he’s
so passionate about the program at LTCC.
“This is a fantastic program and I want
to see it thrive. It’s a diamond in the
rough,” said De Weese. ■
Associate Editor Amanda Carlson can be reached
at amandac@thefabricator.com.
But for now Palmiter continues to chip
away at that college degree, race his stock
car, and get the message out to his peers
about what opportunities lie in front of
them in welding and fabrication.
“It’s not really me that [people] are
interested in, it’s what I’m doing. When
these people meet you and you’re doing
something interesting, they’ll be equally
impressed. And like me, opportunities you
never plan for will present themselves,”
Palmiter said.
Diamond in the Rough
For LTCC’s welding students, it’s more
than a class; almost all of them have aspirations of pursuing welding careers of some
sort after high school, said Stan Green,
LTCC welding instructor.
“Welding has unlimited boundaries.
You can build whatever you want and go
anywhere and get a good job,” junior Zach
Stone said.
Some students like sophomore James
O’Neal, 17, hope to be able to go right to
work after graduation. Other students like
Stone want to continue their education at
Tulsa Welding School, Tulsa, Okla., or
similar programs. And then for others, the
skill will come in handy out on the farms
and ranches.
The draw that welding has for many of
these students quite simply is freedom and
opportunity. Under the direction of Green,
that sentiment is mirrored in the program’s
curriculum. Students spend their time completing personal projects or ones requested
by other departments at the school. They
also spend time preparing for SkillsUSA.
“It’s nice coming here in the mornings,”
said Stone. “They treat us like adults.”
Nestled in between St. Louis and
Springfield along the I-44 corridor, Lebanon
is a town with deep roots in welding and
fabrication, particularly the manufacture of
aluminum-chambered boats. Possessing
welding skills in this town can open a lot of
doors, which is the reason it is so popular and
why local welder Joe DeWeese nominated
LTCC.
“I work in the field and it’s made me a
good living, and it continues to do so,”
De Weese said.
De Weese has first-hand knowledge of the
program and what it provides for students.
As a member of the advisory board, he’s
done everything, from providing hands-on
assistance in the lab—which teaches
students general fabrication as well as gas
metal arc welding (GMAW), shielded metal
arc welding (SMAW), and gas tungsten arc
welding (GTAW)—to donating scrap
metal for students to weld on.
As quality engineer CWI, CWE at
Detroit Tool Metal Products, also located in
Lebanon, he knows the value of a well-educated and well-rounded young welder,
because that’s exactly what he’s looking for
Do you know someone
who should be featured
in Welder Profiles?
Send your nominations to:
Amanda Carlson, Associate Editor
Practical Welding Today
833 Featherstone Road
Rockford, IL 61107-6302
Fax: 815-484-7788
E-mail: amandac@thefabricator.com
Palmiter answers a student’s question about his stock car after his presentation.
