Tucked all the way in the back of Portsmouth High School sits room T8 which is the welding room. The welding program at PHS is a two year program and has an intro class that covers welding basics. Some of the projects students might make are: making an axe and stump, and making a figure built with wires. If you like the intro course, you will most likely have the option to take Welding I and II. 

The welding instructor, Mr. Schefer, has been teaching at PHS for 16 years. He did go to college and graduated with a Masters in Education from Northeastern, which has definitely propelled his teaching career. Mr. Schefer was a pipefitter welder for 35 years and decided to take his knowledge and teach the younger generation. 

Mr. Schefer has the perfect mix of instructing and also taking the time to make sure all of his students are accounted for. 

“He is one of the most knowledgeable people in the entire building, and always is looking to share the ability and opportunity with young people,” said Courtney Ritchings, PHS CTE Director.

Mr. Shefer’s goal for students is to try and “master a skill that requires knowledge, theory, practice, critical thinking and problem solving” through welding. 

The course is structured around the AWS (American Welding Society) Sense Program which gives students the opportunity to take welding tests that are also used in the field and that give students challenging, but real world scenarios. Some of these tests are also used at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Ritchings is always looking to improve all CTE classes, including welding.  When talking about the Welding program, she mentioned how it’s a great opportunity to get hands-on skills and that there is a lot of local opportunity and need for those skills in our industry. 

She also brought up an important fact about the Welding program, and that is everyone works at their own pace. Some kids may pick up things quicker than others, and that’s okay. She is looking to incorporate new technology all the time, and she is looking at adding robotics components, hoping to integrate computer science, robotics, and student interest.

Additionally, students who take the welding program may have the chance to compete in welding competitions. The local welding competition we have is a joint collaboration between Great Bay Community College and Novel Ironworks and it gives students the opportunity to compete and even earn scholarships. These welding competitions around the Seacoast area give a great opportunity to meet new people with similar interests and gain knowledge from many different instructors and people.

Lastly, here is what some of the welding students said about Mr. Schefer:

 “I think it’s a great community of people in here, and , and Mr. Schefer is the best teacher ever,” said PHS senior Madden Provost of Welding II. 

 “In my opinion, he is really a great teacher. He is always having us learn new things and teaching us new methods and it’s been a great three years in the program and I’ve loved every second of it,” said Welding II PHS senior Dominic Eaton.

“He really does care about his students more than the ordinary teacher and he really loves us and wants us to thrive,” added PHS senior Morgan Cole from Welding II.