NSF-ATE Grant | Year 1 Highlights
From classroom to job site, the first year of NOVA’s NSF-ATE grant, BUILD: Futures in Welding and Fabrication, brought students closer to the welding trade through hands-on experiences, industry engagement, and a forward-looking vision for workforce education.

Why it matters: With the growing national demand for skilled welders, NOVA’s expanding program is at the forefront—equipping students with industry-relevant skills, recognized certifications, and direct pathways into high-demand careers. BUILD not only addresses critical workforce gaps but also strengthens regional talent pipelines through innovation, collaboration, and opportunity.

BILT: Driving Curriculum with Industry Insight
A Business & Industry Leadership Team (BILT) meeting brought together regional industry partners and American Welding Society representatives to review curriculum, share workforce insights, and help align welding instruction with industry trends. NOVA is on target to offer an advanced welding certificate beginning in the Fall of 2026.


High School Outreach: Building Early Pathways

As part of our commitment to inspiring future welders, BUILD expanded outreach to high school students through competitions and campus engagement:

Key details:

• NOVA took the lead as host of high school SkillsUSA District 10 and District 5 welding competitions, welcoming 19 student participants to demonstrate their skills, meet NOVA faculty, and engage with industry judges in March 2025.
• Students from West Potomac High School visited NOVA’s welding lab and Fab Lab for a hands-on tour in the spring.
• The tour offered a firsthand look at the program, equipment, and career opportunities in welding and fabrication.

NOVA SkillsUSA: Student Highlights

SkillsUSA is a national organization that empowers students to become world-class workers through skills competitions, leadership training, and career readiness programs. It plays a critical role in bridging education and industry, ensuring students gain the technical and professional skills needed to thrive in today’s workforce.

Key details:

• For the first time, NOVA students competed in Welding, Welding Fabrication, and Welding Sculpture at SkillsUSA at the State level.
• One student, Annabelle Betz, advanced to the national level after winning gold in Welding sculpture at the State championship.
• Her achievement marked a milestone moment for both NOVA and the BUILD initiative.

Real-World Job Site Experiences:

In collaboration with the Virginia Ship Repair Association, 14 NOVA students participated in an immersive, multi-stop job site tour, gaining firsthand insight into diverse welding careers:

• Colonna’s Shipyard (Norfolk) – Tour and industry Q&A with Ali Broemeling
• MHI Ship Repair & Services (Norfolk) – Career talk with expert Larry Ryan
• Bay Metals & Fabrication (Chesapeake) – Facility walkthrough and Q&A with Sean Mathews

These visits offered students a behind-the-scenes look at welding in action—inside shipyards, fabrication shops, and advanced repair operations.

Reaction:
"I enjoyed participating in this job site visit because I was getting answers from experienced workers that have already been through a lot and have honest answers, which was very helpful."

"Overall, it was just a great trip and a good eye-opener for the future of welders and for my class. I am very excited to hop into the trades and figure out what type of work that I want to do now."

These student reflections underscore how BUILD is forging powerful connections between the classroom and career—linking learners with real-world mentors, industry environments, and hands-on opportunities that bring their futures into focus.

What’s Next: Building on Momentum
Year 1 laid a powerful foundation—fueled by collaboration, competition, and career-connected learning. Up next: paid internships for NOVA students, a new student lab technician role, the hiring of a full-time welding faculty member, and even more opportunities on the horizon. The momentum is real— catch a glimpse of the sparks flying in our latest video