Southside High School’s Industrial Trades & Manufacturing students were invited to The Ocean Corporation, a post-secondary institution offer training programs in commercial diving and industrial inspection. These students learned about Nondestructive Testing (NDT), which is a type of welding inspection that does not harm the part being tested. NDT Inspectors use sophisticated technology to look through steel and concrete to identify and diagnose flaws without disrupting the integrity of the structure. An example of Nondestructive Testing would be performing x-ray on a pipe weld to look for cracks that might cause a leak.
They also learned about underwater welding and diving. They also got to see actual divers training and performing underwater welding tasks.
Students got lots of hands-on experience welding underwater, trying on diving equipment, handling the high tech inspection equipment, using underwater ROV (remotely operated vehicles), and exploring the different aspects of the industry.
Students spoke with campus admissions and learned about tuition, financial aid, and job placement. All in all it was a very successful trip, and students came home with a different, and brighter perspectives on their potential futures.