Utah State University Moab is pleased to announce the addition of Chloe Wilson to the campus faculty. Wilson will join the campus as a professional practice instructor in the Welding and Fabrication Department. With USU Moab’s newly opened campus and its welding space, Wilson will help start the welding program at the new campus.

“Everyone at USU Moab is excited for Chloe to be joining the team,” said Lianna Etchberger, associate vice president for USU Moab. “She is full of spirit and can’t wait to get her shop up and running so she can attract as many students as possible to a career that she is so passionate about. I see Chloe Wilson’s welding program as a big draw to local youth who may not have considered post-secondary education until now. She is already planning workshops like Women in Welding to give our community a feel for what welding is all about. Chloe will be an amazing mentor.”

Wilson is eager to see the welding program get on its feet and hopes to affect students’ lives. She not only wants to show students how a career in welding has been a positive for her, but also show that underrepresented populations who haven’t often historically chosen a career in welding can have success as well.

“Welding has changed my life for the better in so many ways, and I took this position so that I can help others get career ready in this industry,” Wilson said. “I also hope to recruit more women and underserved populations into the welding industry because, historically, they haven’t been supported as well as they could be. Welding can be an intimidating field to enter if you don’t see people like yourself represented in it. Representation matters.”

Wilson has held several welding positions since graduating from USU Eastern with an associate degree in Welding Technology, including manufacture and repair of automated vehicles, semi truck and trailer manufacturing and customization, shipping container home and apartment construction and sheet metal fabrication. Wilson has also been heavily involved in SkillsUSA, serving as chapter president at USU Eastern from 2017-19, post-secondary president for Utah in 2018-19 and serving as an alumni representative in 2021. She will now be the advisor of the Moab chapter starting in 2023.

Wilson is looking forward to seeing the program at USU Moab get started and impacting students in a positive way. She will teach Practical Fabrication and Layout, Blueprint Reading for Welders, and Beginning GTAW in the spring. Available classes will eventually expand to SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, and other related courses.

“I’m excited to help expand USU’s welding program and continue its legacy at our new Moab facility,” Wilson said. “I hope to be able to give more people in my new community the knowledge and training needed to build a career that they love and financially support themselves and their families.”

USU Moab has had an interest in creating a welding program and specifically added welding space to its new campus to provide opportunities for local students to attain their certification. Now, using funds secured as part of the Utah Legislature’s Strategic Work Initiative, USU Moab is excited to offer a certification program for a growing industry that can immediately boost the local economy and add skilled laborers to this industry.

“Previous welding workshops in Moab have seen a high success rate and it seems like people are excited for this new program,” Wilson said. “Individuals in our community can’t wait to start taking courses and getting involved.”

According to the American Welding Society, the welding industry will have a shortage of about 400,000 welders by 2024. This, along with the fact that the average welder in the U.S. is now 55 years old, shows that there are many opportunities for welders to find employment and have job security.

“I absolutely think our program will be valuable in equipping students to enter this industry with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in it,” Wilson said. “One of my big goals is to let people know that there are other options available for higher education in the trades if a traditional college experience isn’t the best fit for them. Our program is fast and affordable and provides real-world training and skills with high earning potential.”

The welding program at USU Moab is a certificate-level program. Students can take standalone specialized classes or earn their certificate, which requires 23 credit hours of welding in addition to nine hours of specific general education courses.

For more information on USU’s welding program, visit moabtech.usu.edu or email moab.tech@usu.edu.. Prospective students interested in learning more may also contact Wilson directly at chloe.wilson@usu.edu. And be sure to mention that you read about the USU Moab Welding program and Chloe Wilson in Moab Happenings.

More information about USU Moab and its programs can be found at moab.usu.edu.