Galveston College invited 120 Ball High School Dual Credit students to participate in a welding and skilled trades National Signing Day ceremony on April 16 in the Seibel Wing at the college’s main campus.
 
Also known as the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) National CTE (Career and Technical Education) Letter of Intent Signing Day, this worldwide event celebrates high school and college students who publicly commit to technical career paths, apprenticeships and jobs. Lincoln Electric and NC3 have joined forces to provide the curriculum and learning management resources necessary for benchmarking and standardizing welding performance. GC is an accredited NC3 Lincoln Electric Education Partnership School (LEEPS).
 
The National Signing Day event at GC – the first of its type hosted by the college’s Welding Technology program – coincided with National Welding Month. The American Welding Society (AWS) first designated April as National Welding Month in 1996 to recognize the welding industry's vital role in infrastructure, manufacturing and the economy.
 
“Freshmen and juniors signed letters of intent to participate in the Ball High School Dual Credit Welding Technology program with Galveston College for the 2026-2027 academic year which begins in August 2026,” said James Love, GC Welding Technology program director and welding instructor. “These students will take welding classes two hours a day, five days a week at Ball High and at Galveston College during the school year.”
 
Aric Gomez serves as the Galveston Independent School District welding program instructor at BHS and as an adjunct welding instructor at Galveston College.
 
Love said that Ball High Dual-Credit welding students will earn a Level One (Entry Level) Multiple Processes Certificate in Welding Technology and a Level One Advanced Level Basic Fitting Welding Technology Certificate after they complete their course requirements.
 
Through Galveston College’s Dual Credit program, students attending BHS and other participating schools (public, private, or homeschool) can enroll concurrently in the Welding Technology program and other GC academic or technical college courses.
For more information about the Galveston College Welding Technology program, contact James Love at [email protected], call 409-944-1235, or visit gc.edu/welding.
ABOUT GALVESTON COLLEGE
Galveston College was founded in 1967 and is a comprehensive community college providing the residents of Galveston Island and the surrounding region with academic, workforce development, continuing education and community service programs.