On March 30, Radnor, Pennsylvania-based Airgas Inc. — an Air Liquide company and supplier of industrial, medical and specialty gases — announced it is welcoming 55 schools into its High School Welding Education Initiative class of 2023.

The latest class features 14 returning schools and 41 new schools from 22 states will participate in Airgas’ program, the company said in its announcement.

Since starting the program in 2018, Airgas has assisted 72 schools, 4,200 welding students and nearly 450 instructors across the country.

“In the past two years combined, more than 250 students obtained welding jobs directly after graduating from a school program supported by Airgas donations,” the company said.

Schools that participate are able to receive professional development training for welding instructors, welding consumables or equipment, safety PPE and other aspects.

Airgas ranked No. 5 among MDM’s 2022 Top Industrial Distributors, No. 1 for Gases/Welding Equipment Distributors and included on MDM’s unranked list of Safety Distributors.