Welding Student Invites Hypertherm Associates to High School Graduation
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(HANOVER, N.H.) May 30, 2024 – What’s the perfect gift for a high school graduating senior? In response to receiving an invitation to 17-year-old Autumn Mayo’s Sitka, Alaska, high school graduation, , Hypertherm Associates sent her a Powermax45 XP, complete with cartridges, and a signed copy of famous metal artist Rae Ripple’s book “When I Grow Up.”
“At Hypertherm Associates, we believe in what Autumn and her teachers are doing. Autumn is a perfect example of the students we’re trying to reach and support through our company’s mission,” said Stephen Bruner, Regional Marketing & Revenue Operations Director for Hypertherm Associates.
Autumn’s journey into welding began in her high school’s metal shop and welding classes, where she developed her skills under the mentorship of her teacher. Having successfully completed courses in metalwork, engines, arc welding, and plasma cutting, Autumn is preparing to further her education at the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Arizona this fall. Like many students attending trade schools, Autumn will be responsible for supplying her own tools, which can be expensive. In her search for the best equipment, she discovered Hypertherm plasma cutting technology.
“When I attend school in Arizona, we have to bring some of our own gear. So, I researched companies that had good supplies and saw Hypertherm. They just stuck out,” said Mayo.
Autumn is part of the growing number of high school students focusing on career and technical education (CTE) programs, a trend that Hypertherm Associates is committed to nurturing. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the number of female welders has soared in recent years. Between 2016 and 2019, there was a 30% increase in women in the welding industry. Even with that increase, in 2020, women welders made up only 3.8% of the welding industry, and today they account for a little over 6% of welders.
Bruner added, “One way we’re addressing the skilled labor shortage is by committing to this next generation of the workforce with our Spark Something Great grant. It helps schools by providing a versatile system instructors can use to teach handheld and mechanized cutting, as well as applications such as gouging, flush cutting, and marking. We wish Autumn nothing but the very best in her next chapter and are happy to be part of her future success.”
Hypertherm Associates is a U.S. based manufacturer of industrial cutting products and software. Its products, including Hypertherm plasma and OMAX waterjet systems, are used by companies around the world to build ships, airplanes, and railcars; construct steel buildings, fabricate heavy equipment, erect wind turbines, and more. In addition to cutting systems, the company creates CNCs and software trusted for performance and reliability that result in increased productivity and profitability for hundreds of thousands of businesses. Founded in 1968, Hypertherm Associates is a 100 percent Associate-owned company, employing approximately 2,000 Associates, with operations and partner representation worldwide. Learn more at https://www.HyperthermAssociates.com.
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