Robinson said opportunities for training at Salina Area Technical College, and through high school programs, are good selling points for Saline County. Greg Nichols, president of Salina Tech, said the college would work with any employer to train new recruits or retrain existing workers who might be under-utilized.

A welder at PKM Steel works on a steel beam [Tom Dorsey / Salina Journal]

A welder at PKM Steel works on a steel beam [Tom Dorsey / Salina Journal]

Nichols said 2016 graduates from the college’s two biggest programs — welding and diesel mechanics — all were employed, according to the most recent Kansas Board of Regents data. He said median wages were about $31,000 and $41,000, respectively.

Overall, 120 of 122 Salina Tech graduates from 2016 are employed in the field for which they were educated. In the future, Nichols said, he expects the new practical nursing program to produce the majority of graduates.

Read more at Salina.com.