SAN ANTONIO – Palo Alto College’s welding program is seeing increasing interest, prompting a major investment to expand the welding lab.
The college has earmarked $1 million for the expansion.
Yves Fanfelle, the program’s lead welding instructor, said the demand for welders is high.
“I have customers calling all the time looking for welders,” he said.
Fanfelle explained that the demand spans industries nationwide, as well as statewide and in San Antonio.
“Right now, [welders are needed in] the oil field, the car industry,” he said. “Really, it’s the battery side, so right now, there’s a lot of places that are opening up that are trying to refurbish batteries for all these Teslas and other [makes].”
Fanfelle also noted the upcoming opening of JCB’s largest facility in San Antonio, scheduled for October 2026, which plans to hire approximately 200 manual welders.
Luis Fernandez, dean of workforce and professional programs at Palo Alto College, said the expansion of the welding lab was in response to the demand for the welding program, which has a consistent wait list.
Fernandez said that with the interest so high, college leaders were willing to invest money to expand the program.
PAC’s welding lab initially had 20 welding booths, but it repeatedly reached capacity, limiting the number of students who could practice during lab sessions. Therefore, the school made a $1 million investment to add 20 additional welding booths.
College officials stated that the expansion began in 2024, with the larger lab opening at the start of the 2025 fall semester.
“It’s a great investment,” Fernandez said. “Our students now have about 45 booths that we can serve students because of the additional million dollars invested in this program.”
The expansion is allowing even more PAC welding students, like Sandra Gomez, to gain hands-on experience and hone their skills, as well as gain exposure to what industries are looking for.
“There’s a lot of PPE (personal protection equipment). A lot of robotics welding, which is pretty cool,” Gomez said about the current era of the welding trade. “We advance so much in technology. I love it.”
While the automated welding process delivered via robotics is not yet offered at PAC, Fanfelle said the college is one of the first schools in the country to train students in laser welding.
Fanfelle shared that he is working with department and college leadership to develop a welding program for the future that can quickly adapt to the changing needs of all industries.
“Technology is driving everything, and we need to stay ahead of it,” Fanfelle said. “We want to do whatever it takes to make sure our students, when they walk out of here, they’re ahead of the game.”
Gomez said the recent investment and ongoing efforts to keep Palo Alto College’s welding program competitive are helping her earn certificates and a welding associate’s degree. The program is also allowing her to keep part of her family legacy alive.
Gomez said she first became interested in metalwork and welding by watching her grandfather, a sheet metal roofer.
She is set to graduate from the welding program in December and plans to become one of the program’s newest welding instructors after graduation.
Another benefit students in the program can now enjoy is earning a bachelor’s degree in Applied Technology and Operations Management from Palo Alto College.
Fernandez said that students seeking to pursue the supervisory route can continue their studies on campus.
Before the addition of the bachelor’s program, he said Palo Alto College had recently restructured its degree plan to offer the Occupational Skills Award (OSA), as well as MIG, TIG and Stick certifications, which are three different types of arc welding processes.
“Students can combine them all together to get a Level I certificate, then move on to a Level II certificate,” Fernandez said. “All the way to an Associates of Science, which includes some academics.”
Fernandez explained that the college is not done expanding the welding program, thanks to Bexar County voters. In May, voters approved the Alamo Colleges District’s $987 million bond.
Fernandez said $95 million will be allocated for building a facility in Brook City. He said the new building will expand the welding program with 40 to 50 additional booths and is expected to open within three years.
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