Multilevel_commuter_rail_cars_for_Chicago_Metra_US.png

Alstom has been making train cars in Plattsburgh since 1995 and the train figures to continue rolling down the tracks. The company, formerly known in Plattsburgh as Bombardier, is working to fulfill a major contract of 999 cars for the New Jersey Transit system.

PLATTSBURGH — Alstom has been making train cars in Plattsburgh since 1995 and the train figures to continue rolling down the tracks.

The company, formerly known in Plattsburgh as Bombardier, is working to fulfill a major contract of 999 cars for the New Jersey Transit system.

For such a big job, they need welders. A lot of welders.

LONG WAY TO GO

Tyler Seabrook, head of industrial quality for the Plattsburgh and Concord sites for Alstom, said they need about 50 welders soon.

“We’re currently at 17 or 18 so we have a long way to go,” Seabrook said.

To meet the need, the company started a joint venture with CV-Tec, Clinton Community College and Lincoln Electric to run a three-week program in the early spring to train welders.

It will be a 120-hour program over three weeks that will teach theoretical and practical knowledge of welding, which will make them potential new hires.

THE NEED IS THERE

Seabrook said new collaborative training programs like this are probably going to be ingrained in the industry in the future.

“The need obviously is there. There is a large demand for welding at our site and at other sites as well,” he said, adding that the need will probably be here for several years.

“We’re both kind of simultaneously wrapping up big large building projects. So over the next three years, we could actually see upwards of 100 welders in our Plattsburgh facility. Hopefully all local people, but we’re also looking across the United States for people to relocate and come in.”

‘THEY’RE GOOD JOBS’

Seabrook said those interested in a welding career can earn good pay and benefits.

“They’re good jobs,” he said.

“An entry position for a welder starts at $25 an hour with full benefits, 401K investments, 40 hours a week, overtime after 40. So very good stable positions.”

LEGACY OF TRADESPEOPLE

Seabrook said they are seeing a gap in generations of workers like welders.

“I think that’s just the legacy of tradespeople,” he said.

“There’s a large gap between the age, so onboarding new people and getting them kind of interested in trades and what the opportunities could lead to, are is what we’re kind of focusing on.”

The recent Manufacturing Day held at CCC drew a lot of interest, Seasbrook said.

“Events like these help because the students are able to come and see a lot, and they didn’t even know what Alstom was,” he said.

“So they wanted to know what we built, what kind of welding we do, what kind of nondisruptive testing that we do. It’s kind of getting that advertisement out there.”

E-mail: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: @jlotemplio

Trending Video

Recommended for you