Mountain Gateway Community College Sparks Innovation with New Orbital Welding Training
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Buena Vista, VA (Feb. 20, 2026) - Mountain Gateway Community College (MGCC), home to one of the region’s most respected welding programs, is officially turning up the precision. MGCC is proud to announce the addition of Orbital Welding to its curriculum at the Rockbridge Regional Center, a high-tech advancement that positions students at the forefront of the pharmaceutical, semiconductor, and data processing industries.
Orbital welding is the gold standard for high-purity industries. Unlike traditional manual welding, this automated process rotates an arc 360° around a static workpiece, such as a pipe.
This ensures the ultra-clean, "hygienic" welds required for transporting sensitive fluids in food and beverage production, pharmaceutical labs, and the complex piping systems used in microchip manufacturing.
Industry-Leading Expertise
The new course will be led by Mountain Gateway instructor Antonio Gonzalez, who bringsextensive hands-on expertise in hygienic pharmaceutical and semiconductor piping. Gonzalez will be under the guidance of Welding Program Head Walt Johnson, whose career includes years of project management and weld inspection within these specialized sectors. Together, they bridge the gap between classroom theory and the rigorous standards of the modern industrial job market.
"We aren't just teaching students how to weld; we’re teaching them how to build the infrastructure of the future," says Johnson. "From the chips in your smartphone to the medicine in your cabinet, orbital welding is what makes those technologies and services possible."
Enrollment Details
Training on the orbital welding equipment will be integrated into the Pipe Welding focus, starting with the Summer 2026 semester at the Rockbridge Regional Center in Buena Vista. This addition ensures that MGCC graduates remain the most competitive candidates for high-paying roles in Virginia’s growing tech and manufacturing corridors.
For more information about Mountain Gateway’s welding program or to enroll for the summer session, please visit mgcc.edu, call 540-863-2820, or email wjohnson@mgcc.edu.
ABOUT MGCC: Founded in 1962 and located in the Alleghany Highlands region of Central Virginia, Mountain Gateway Community College (MGCC) is a two-year public institution of higher education and one of 23 community colleges in Virginia.
Mountain Gateway Community College operates two educational campuses, the Clifton Forge campus and the Rockbridge Regional Center in Buena Vista. MGCC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees.
Mountain Gateway Community College is supported by the Commonwealth of Virginia, the counties of Alleghany, Bath, Northern Botetourt, and Rockbridge; the cities of Buena Vista, Covington, and Lexington. For more information about Mountain Gateway Community College, please visit MGCC.edu | | | |
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