Creek Wood Welding has been in operation since 2015 now preparing students for tomorrow’s workforce. We offer a number of certifications and other postsecondary opportunities. We start the year of Welding I in the classroom learning safety then blueprint reading along with welding symbol identification. After we have a grasp on safety and how to set up a project through reading blueprints and problem solving we begin working with the SMAW (shield metal arc welding) process. While we are learning SMAW a lot of the basics of welding are covered however as we move to more advanced processes through the 3-year course we continue to learn more techniques applicable to each particular process. We work both in the welding booths and on real-life projects to prepare the student to be a well-balanced welding fabricator. We finish the Welding 1 year off with a welding bend test and some basic inspection training for sound weld beads. In Welding 2 we start the year off with a refresher course of safety and then we move into Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) and Flux Core Arc Welding (FCAW). We finish up with some Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). 

"In the welding program at CWHS, we strive to not only teach the principles of welding but also the values of being a hard-working, reliable, and honest employee ready for the next step in the student’s life."

-Vance Hardin

The Advanced Manufacturing & Mechatronics classes prepare students for high-demand careers in industrial maintenance, automation, and modern manufacturing. Students build a strong foundation in safety, welding, electrical systems, motors, instrumentation, and quality control. They learn how mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and software components integrate in automated systems, mastering metal fabrication and electromechanical troubleshooting along the way.

Through hands-on labs, robotics projects, and automation systems, students design, build, program, and troubleshoot industrial equipment using technologies such as PLCs, controls, and industrial robotics. Students also compete in SkillsUSA and TSA, applying their skills in state and national competitions.

The program offers dual enrollment opportunities with TCAT-Dickson, allowing students to earn college credit and industry certifications while still in high school. The pathway culminates in real-world application through Tennessee's Work-Based Learning program, where eligible juniors and seniors earn high school credit while gaining paid or unpaid on-the-job experience, developing employability skills, and preparing for postsecondary education and careers as mechatronics, maintenance, or electromechanical technicians in advanced manufacturing.

"Students leave my program with technical skills and the mindset to match. They problem-solve, adapt, and collaborate. That foundation doesn't just build careers; it builds futures. 

-Yvonne B. Schlangen (Mrs. S)

Principles of Engineering and Technology is a foundational STEM course for students interested in learning more about careers in engineering and technology. This course covers basic skills required for engineering and technology fields of study. Digital Electronics is intended to provide students with an introduction to the basic components of digital electronic systems and equip them with the ability to use these components to design more complex digital systems. Upon completion of the Digital Electronics course, proficient students will be able to design a complex digital system and communicate their designs through a variety of media. Robotics and Automated Systems is an applied course for students who wish to explore how robots and automated systems are used in industry. 

“ I believe that as an instructor I get to prepare students for some of the most exciting and high paying jobs in the most high tech career fields that our future has to offer. It is truly exciting to get to teach technology and engineering courses at a time when technology is advancing more rapidly than any time in history. “

-Jeff Clifton