Metals Fabrication Technology Program at Cherokee High School

The successful metals program at Cherokee High School in Canton, Georgia, has been introducing students to metals fabrication since 1967. With the increased pressure of “No Child Left Behind” academic rigor and an “everyone has to go to college to be successful” philosophy, lack of qualified instructors, and budget cuts, many high schools no longer have career technology / vocational programs.  Cherokee High School’s metals program is the last remaining metals program in the Metro-Atlanta area.    

In 1967, a joint venture between the Cherokee Board of Education and the Georgia State Board of Education, Department of Vocational and Technical Education resulted in the addition of 500 Hall to Cherokee High School.  This Hall was designed to increase the vocational and technical offerings of Cherokee High School by housing an agricultural program, an automotive program, and a metals cluster program.  In 1975, an addition was added to house a building /construction program.

The original metals instructor was Mr. Luke Fann who had the task of setting up and equipping the new metals cluster shop.  The curriculum for the metals cluster program would need to cover welding technology, precision machining technology, and sheet metal working technology.  From 1967 until 1990 Luke Fann was the “Metals Man,” the metals cluster instructor of Cherokee High School.  In 1990 Luke transferred to the county office as Maintenance Supervisor.  For the 1991-1992 school year, the metals instructor was Mr. Frank Moore.  Since August 1992, Bob Dye has been the metals instructor. 

From the beginning shop set up by Luke Fann, much has stayed the same but there have also been changes.  In the Welding Shop, three GMAW (MIG) power supplies, one GTAW (TIG) power supply, a hand plasma cutter, a propane blacksmith forge, and a CNC plasma arc cutting system have been added to the equipment and curriculum.  In the Machine shop, a vertical milling machine with three axis digital read out, a hydraulic ironworker, a 13” horizontal lathe with two axis digital readout, and a CNC vertical milling machine have been added to the machine shop equipment and curriculum.  The sheet metal shop has been upgraded with new drill presses and hand tools.

Bob’s efforts have not gone unrecognized.  In January 1995, metals students completed a community service project for the Cherokee Animal Shelter.  The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners awarded a plaque to the metals program for their community service.  In 2002, after a two-year effort and evaluation, the metals program received “Stage II” industry accreditation as a training center for welding and sheet metal work from The Construction Education Foundation of Georgia.  CEFGA is the local branch of the National Center for Construction Education and Research.  In 2005, Bob Dye was named North Georgia Tech Prep Instructor, recognition from the North Georgia Tech Prep Consortium.  However, Bob will emphasize that the greatest reward comes from the student’s success in class and in the world of work.

Beginning in August 1995 in cooperation with Applied Technical Services, Marietta, Georgia, advanced welders have been given the opportunity to take one of the American Welding Society’s structural steel welder qualification tests.  The test involves welding a 60 degree “V” groove in 1” thick mild steel, with a SMAW power supply using 1/8”, 7024 or 7018 low hydrogen electrode, in either the 1G, 2G, 3G, or 4G positions.  Side bend tests are performed on the weld coupon slices and the qualification document is issued.  Since 1995, sixty students have been able to complete high school and also have an industry-recognized AWS qualification.

Due to the number of students wishing to take metals, Bob has taught on an extended day schedule of six periods per day for twelve of his fourteen years.  For fall semester 2005, metals has over 114 students, 52 in two periods of Introduction to Metals Level A, and 71 students in four periods of mixed level advanced studies students.

Introduction to Metals Fabrication is a two-semester career exploration program including introduction to metals fabrication work, welding, machining, sheet metal and related subjects and processes.  The advanced classes are designed to train and prepare students for careers in welding, machining, or sheet metal. Welding courses include training in SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, Oxy/Fuel Cutting, Hand and CNC Plasma Cutting, drill press and ironworker, and other related subjects. Machining courses include training in Lathe, Vertical Mill, Drill Press, Iron Worker, Bandsaw (Vertical and Horizontal) operations and other related subjects.

Advanced classes are guided through the complete manufacturing process, engineering design, blueprint reading, material ordering, fabrication, and sales. Each year the metals shop completes several fabrication projects. The fabrication projects for 2005-2006 are four utility trailers, two 4’x 8’ and two 5’ x 12’. In previous years, the Metals classes have built barbeque grills on trailers, 20’ “Goose” neck trailers, 20’ tilt-bed trailers, 4’x 8’ utility trailers, hundreds of 50-gallon drum grills, animal shelter doors and numerous other community service projects.

The Hobart Institute offers training materials to support welding programs such as this one at Cherokee High School.  Visit our web site at http://www.welding.org or call 1-800-332-9448, ext. 5433 for a catalog.