The Ironworker Skills Institute, created by Garrison Steel, was recently awarded nonprofit status by the IRS. As of October, the training program will operate independently of Garrison Steel to educate future generations of ironworkers. The Institute is finalizing steps to become a state licensed educational facility.
John Garrison, president of Garrison Steel, an AISC certified fabricator and erector, founded the Garrison Steel Education Program three years ago with the help of the Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) and National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). Last year, the program was renamed the Ironworker Skills Institute.
The Ironworker Skills Institute now offers high school students a tuition-free NCCER-accredited certification program. There are 35 students from seven area high schools and home school associations, including six deaf students from the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind.
The program will grow its offerings in the coming year. Get updates on the Ironworker Skills Institute here.