Associations, Awards, Technical Training

Skilled Trades School Named ‘School of the Year’ by the FAPSC

August 30, 2022

The Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges (FAPSC) announced Tulsa Welding School (TWS) in Jacksonville as the 2022 School of the Year. Representing more than 200 career-oriented schools, the FAPSC administers the School of the Year Award, recognizing efforts that improve student learning outcomes, support faculty excellence, and enhance the community. The award honors one degree-granting institution and one non-degree granting institution each year.

Michael Cole, Campus President of Tulsa Welding School in Jacksonville

Part of StrataTech Education Group, Tulsa Welding School in Jacksonville offers welding, HVAC/R and electrical programs. TWS Jacksonville has employed 91% of graduates in its welding programs*.

“Being recognized by the FAPSC is an honor as it recognizes our team’s dedication to our students and the ever-evolving needs of the skilled trades industry,” said Michael Cole, Campus President of Tulsa Welding School in Jacksonville. “Our commitment to our students, community, and faculty is reflected in this award, and we hope the work we do at TWS leaves a lasting impact on generations to come.”

The School of the Year Award recognizes TWS’s commitment to advancing the field of technical education by enhancing welding, HVAC/R, and electrical-related programming through innovation and technology, including the recent launch of virtual reality training through OcuWeld. To keep up with the evolution of technical skills and training, last year, TWS launched OcuWeld at its campus, a virtual reality training environment for welding that utilizes the Meta Quest 2. TWS also integrates the virtual environment experience in the HVAC/R and electrical-related program curriculum through InterPlay Learning.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to recognize excellence in our schools through our annual awards program each year,” said FAPSC Executive Director Allen Mortham Jr. “Our School of the Year Award recognizes schools that have made significant contributions to private post-secondary education and TWS has led the way in supporting and enhancing student excellence in the technical education space.”

For more information on TWS Jacksonville, please visit www.tws.edu.

*For students who started and completed their training during the 12-month period for which 150% of normal time for completion has elapsed and who attained employment in their field of study as outlined on our annual accreditation report dated July 1, 2021.

About StrataTech Education Group
StrataTech Education Group focuses on the education, growth and development of specialized career education schools, particularly skilled-trade programs designed to address the nation’s growing infrastructure needs. Holding an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, StrataTech Education Group’s portfolio includes The Refrigeration School, Inc. (RSI) (Phoenix, AZ), Tulsa Welding School (TWS) (Tulsa, OK), Tulsa Welding School (TWS) (Jacksonville, FL) , and Tulsa Welding School & Technology Center (Houston, TX). For more information, visit stratatech.com.

About Tulsa Welding School
Tulsa Welding School (TWS) was founded in 1949 in Tulsa, Okla. and has trained thousands of individuals to become entry-level professionals in the skilled trades for more than 70 years. Students learn hands-on, technical competencies and skills through labs, virtual reality and classrooms, with a curriculum designed to meet employers’ needs. TWS offers Welding, HVAC/Refrigeration and Electrical related programs in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Jacksonville, Florida and Houston Texas. Accredited schools, ACCSC. For more information, visit www.tws.edu.  or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

About FAPSC
The Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges works on behalf of all Florida’s degree granting and non-degree granting career schools and colleges and has been the voice of Florida’s career schools since 1956. Licensed by the state, Florida’s career-focused schools educate and prepare over 250,000 students each year for employment in more than 200 occupational fields.