PRESS RELEASE

Radnor, PA April 8, 2025
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Airgas Addresses Critical Skills Gap by Expanding High School Welding Education Initiative to 72 Schools

Airgas, an Air Liquide company, is proud to announce that 72 schools from 33 states and 16 Airgas regions will participate in the High School Welding Education Initiative for the 2025 academic year. Building on its mission since 2018 to support underserved high school welding programs and bridge the skilled trades gap, the initiative is set to reach even more students and communities across the United States.

With the American Welding Society (AWS) projecting a need for 320,500 new welding professionals by 2029, the Airgas High School Welding Education Initiative plays a vital role in preparing the next generation of skilled tradespeople. The program provides participating schools with a customized mix of hands-on professional development training for welding teachers, welding consumables and equipment, safety PPE, and other essential resources. The selected school programs are chosen based on four key factors: high unmet need at the school; a productive welding program with the potential to graduate job-ready welders; passionate teachers; and enthusiastic local Airgas champions.

Since 2018, the initiative has supported 162 schools, benefiting over 12,000 students and 664 instructors, with nearly 1,900 students securing jobs post-graduation since 2021.

Jay Worley, Airgas Chief Operating Officer, commented: “We are thrilled to expand the Airgas High School Welding Education Initiative and further our commitment to supporting welding education. By investing in these 72 programs, we are not only addressing a critical skills gap but also empowering students to pursue rewarding careers in welding, engineering, and technical fields.”

Congratulations to the 2025 participating schools representing 33 states:

  • Aiken County Career Center - Aiken, SC
  • Alamosa High School - Alamosa, CO
  • ATEMS at the Lift - Abilene, TX
  • Bacon County High School - Alma, GA
  • Anniston High School - Anniston, AL
  • Barbara Jordan Career Center - Houston, TX
  • Ben Franklin High School - Philadelphia, PA
  • Barnwell County Career Center - Blackville, SC
  • Betty Davis East Anchorage High School - Anchorage, AK
  • Brantley County High School - Nahunta, GA
  • Carroll County Area Tech Center - Carrollton, KY
  • Buckeye Hills Career Center - Rio Grande, OH
  • Cascade High School - Cascade, IA
  • Carter Tech Center - Hampton, TN
  • Charles Page High School - Sandsprings, OK
  • Charlton County High School - Folkston, GA
  • Clinch County High School - Homerville, GA
  • Clearfield County Career and Technology - Clearfield, PA
  • Coastal Alabama Community College - Monroeville, AL
  • Columbia High School - Lake City, FL
  • Cook High School - Adel, GA
  • Cloudland High School - Roan Mountain, TN
  • David Crockett High School - Jonesborough, TN
  • Dinuba High School - Dinuba, CA
  • Crescent City High School - Crescent City, FL
  • Dunnellon High School - Dunnellon, FL
  • Empire High School - Empire, OK
  • Dallas Veterans Resource Center - Dallas, TX
  • Dulce High School - Dulce, NM
  • Father Judge High School - Philadelphia, PA
  • Frederick Douglass High School - Euclid, OH
  • Franklinton High School - Franklinton, NC
  • Galena Park High School - Galena Park, TX
  • Hampshire High School - Hampshire, IL
  • Genesee Career Institute - Flint, MI
  • Interlachen High School - Interlachen, FL
  • Jeff Tech - Reynoldsville, PA
  • Kirtland Central High School - Kirtland, NM
  • King Kekaulike High School - Makawao, HI
  • Largo High School - Largo, FL
  • Lincoln County High School - Hamlin, WV
  • Lima Senior High School - Lima, OH
  • Lyndon Institute - Lyndon Center, VT
  • Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School - Fitchburg, MA
  • Merrillville High School - Merrillville, IN
  • Mountain Empire Community College - Big Stone Gap, VA
  • Natrona County High School - Casper, WY
  • Nathan Hale High School - West Allis, WI
  • North Branch Area High School - North Branch, MN
  • Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center - New Kensinton, PA
  • North Monterey County High School - Castroville, CA
  • Northlands Job Corp Center - Vergennes, VT
  • Page High School - Page, AZ
  • Pierce County High School - Blackshear, GA
  • Palatka Jr. Sr. High School - Palatka, FL
  • PSJA ISD Elvis Ballew High School - Pharr, TX
  • Randolph Technical High School - Philadelphia, PA
  • Region 9 School of Applied Technology - Mexico, ME
  • Salina Tech - Salina, KS
  • Slaton High School - Slaton, TX
  • Scott County Career and Technical Center - Gate City, VA
  • Strom Thurmond High School - Johnston, SC
  • Turner County High School - Ashburn, GA
  • Unicoi County High School - Erwin, TN
  • Tooele High School - Tooele, UT
  • Wagener Salley High School - Wagener, SC
  • Wahkiakum High School – Cathlamet, WA
  • Ware County High School - Waycross, GA
  • Washington County Career and Tech - Abingdon, VA
  • Weld Like A Girl - Yuma, AZ
  • West Ridge High School - Blountville, TN
  • White Mountain Regional High School - Whitefield, NH

Airgas, Inc.

Airgas®, an Air Liquide company, is a leading U.S. supplier of industrial, medical and specialty gases, as well as hardgoods and related products; one of the largest U.S. suppliers of safety products; and a leading U.S. supplier of ammonia products and process chemicals.

Airgas helps its more than 1 million customers advance their business performance and reach their full potential with reliable products, services and expertise used to create, build, care, serve and sustain. With nearly 18,000 associates, over 1,400 locations, a robust eBusiness platform, and Airgas Total Access® telesales channel, Airgas is ready to help customers fill their potential, every day.

As an Air Liquide company, a world leader in gases, technology and services for Industry and Health, Airgas offers customers an unrivaled global footprint and industry-leading technology and innovations.

For more information, please visit www.airgas.com.

CONTACTS

Airgas Communications
Marysa Mazanek
610-230-3213
mediasupport@airgas.com



Air Liquide is a world leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and healthcare. Present in 60 countries with approximately 66,500 employees, the Group serves more than 4 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the Group’s activities since its creation in 1902.

Taking action today while preparing the future is at the heart of Air Liquide’s strategy. With ADVANCE, its strategic plan, Air Liquide is targeting a global performance, combining financial and extra-financial dimensions. Positioned on new markets, the Group benefits from major assets such as its business model combining resilience and strength, its ability to innovate and its technological expertise. The Group develops solutions contributing to climate and the energy transition — particularly with hydrogen — and takes action to progress in areas of healthcare, electronics and high technologies.

Air Liquide’s revenue amounted to more than 27 billion euros in 2024. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, CAC 40 ESG, EURO STOXX 50, FTSE4Good and DJSI Europe indexes.