Thomson High School sees growth in welding program

THOMSON, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - It’s been four years since Thomson High School started a welding program.

With 60 students and a competition team, the program is giving students a chance to get real-world experience in the classroom.

We stopped by to talk to one senior who says he is grateful for the program.

“I’m just in here welding constantly. I don’t ever quit,” said Carson Ansley.

Before he found this, Ansley didn’t know what he wanted to do.

“In the back of my mind, I knew I didn’t want to go to college, didn’t want to do school work, hated it, and college isn’t for everybody,” he said.

But now, he knows welding is for him. He feels grateful because his school started this program right when he got there.

Thomson High School hired Courtney Brinkman to start the program.

“The program is really growing and developing, and we’ve come so far in four years,” she said.

She’s a former Georgia High School welding champion with real-world experience in the industry.

“We will teach them up everything they would need to know. If they want to go into the industry right after high school, they have that skill set,” said Brinkman.

About 60 students are learning those skills.

Ansley said: “Like talking to my parents and stuff, they didn’t have opportunities coming up like this.”

He is happy he does. He wants to make the most out of it.

“I’m trying to be the best I can and go make some money one day. That’s the dream,” he said.

Thomson High has a competition welding team, and Ansley has won three events. In April, the school will host a competition for the first time.

Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.