WILTON – After working the past few years as a mechanic, Dale Leonard of Livermore Falls loves the opportunity Cianbro has offered him and others to train in the art of welding.

Leonard was leaving the day shift Monday at the Nichols Building. He and others are starting their fifth week in training; a day class is held from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and a night class from 2:30 to 11 p.m. daily for 12 weeks.

Cianbro, said company representative Steve Pound, needs 250 welders and has set up classes in Wilton, Lincoln and Bangor to train and prepare workers for jobs at Cianbro’s Brewer location.

The success of a training session held last summer in Wilton where all 12 students were hired prompted the company to begin another two sessions with two more to follow for a total of 24 weeks.

Because of that response, this time around Cianbro is trying a different approach, said Patty Ladd from the Wilton CareerCenter, who helped with the hiring process. The summer program was a four-week course with the potential to be hired at completion.

This time, the company decided to recruit, interview and hire the participants. It selected people who have an idea of what welding work is about but not the knowledge. The training program gives them that knowledge and $10 an hour while in training, she said.

“The program is giving people employable skills and bringing a lot of people back to work,” Pound said.

With the Cianbro experience this summer, business and education began working collectively, said Ray Therrien, director of SAD 9 Adult Education.

“While so many manufacturing positions have moved away, we’ve worked to address that need in Franklin County,” Therrien said. “Many were displaced but they don’t have what they need in today’s work force.”

Adult Ed created programs to help upgrade workers’ skills, some with direct training as with Cianbro, others with skills in reading, writing and technology, he added.

Since Adult Ed is in a good position to promote and access partners within the community, it took a lead in getting the program started, he said.

“One of the most valuable resources are the people who want to live and work here,” Therrien said. “What would be advantageous to everyone is getting them upgraded work skills.”

SAD 9 negotiated a contract with Nichols Welding for the program, said Eileen Miazga, work force development coordinator for Adult Ed.

While SAD 9 has supplied part of the equipment needed, Cianbro supplied part also, said Justin Davis, who teaches the night shift class and was hired by Adult Ed. One of Cianbro’s employees, Rich Baumgartel, teaches the day shift.

Trainees will eventually land jobs that pay from $14 to $22 per hour, depending on Cianbro’s testing and certification. As Baumgartel works with the students, he also evaluates their work ethics. He’ll recommend those who are good workers but cannot make it as welders for other positions within the company, he said.

“It’s a good opportunity,” he said, “but it is a job.”

Of the 21 students being trained now, three are women.

“Women have the patience and stamina to do it,” said Davis, who thinks they do well at it, “but it’s always been a man’s job.”