PCC’s Swan Island center helps cool need for welders

Training program that began at Rock Creek campus spreads to the east side

By Rich Oxley

The Portland Tribune, Jul 25, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (2 Reader comments)

Portland Community College student Josh Mortensen of Portland works during a welding class at the school's new program with Vigor industries on Swan Island.

Jaime Valdez / Portland Tribune

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Down in the midst of Swan Island's concentration of industrial commerce, Portland Community College offers students an opportunity to learn the craft and skill of welding, a trade many in the industry say will demand a larger work force in the future.

“There is a national shortage of welders,” said Mike Rasmussen, welding instructor at PCC’s Swan Island training center. “Everybody across the country is looking as far as they can for people.”

PCC‘s Rock Creek campus, located north of the Sunset Highway at Northwest 185th Avenue and Springville Road, has offered welding courses for decades. Rasmussen graduated from the Rock Creek welding program in 1968.

But to meet the growing need for welders in the Portland area, and to help alleviate the high demand for welding courses on the Rock Creek campus, PCC has partnered with Vigor Industrial on Swan Island to bring its welding program to the east side of Portland.

The Swan Island training center began its first class in June.

Immersed in the industry

According to Craig Kolins, dean of instruction and student development at PCC, the waiting list for welding classes at the Rock Creek campus had become so long that the college had to turn students away. Besides, Rock Creek is one of only two institutions that offer a welding program in the Portland area. The other is at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham.

“We're really trying to provide training opportunities that lead to careers for residents in the PCC service area,” Kolins said. “It benefits the industry and it benefits our residents because it provides family wage jobs.”

According to Kolins, a welder can earn $40,000 to $50,000 a year or up to $60,000 with overtime.

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