Consolidated Addresses Skills Gap: Partners With Shawsheen Valley Technical High School Written by: Arthur Trapotsis MS Biochemical Engineering, MBA, Consultant Advanced Manufacturing Training Program offers continued education in welding processes for motivated students. May 29, 2019 (BILLERICA, Mass) — Shawsheen Valley Technical High School (founded in 1970) has proudly served communities throughout Middlesex County by providing students with a world-class vocational and technical education. With Consolidated Sterilizer Systems newly relocated to Billerica, MA, and in need of trained welders, it was a natural fit to partner with Shawsheen to train and hire welders. Shawsheen’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Program offers a fantastic continuing education class in welding that covers such topics as welding processes, welding mathematics and pattern drafting, and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. Consolidated was happy to play a small role in the design of the curriculum as well as enroll one of its employees into the program. According to Andrew Pigeon, Director of Community Services & Post-Secondary Programs, “The program enables individuals to challenge themselves to learn new skills and work toward learning a variety of industry-based skills they can apply toward their careers in advanced manufacturing.” Over the course of the 5-month program, students learn how to do the following: Examine and perform liquid penetrant tests on their welds Critique welds and troubleshoot to improve basic fabrication Demonstrate the gas metal arc welding process (GMAW) Identify GMAW safety procedures Set up equipment for GMAW operations Form a weld bead using GMAW In addition to spending 20 hours in the Metal Fabrication Shop area completing hands-on training and academic competencies, students also take technical math and blueprint reading courses through Middlesex Community College and earn a 10-hour OSHA certification. “This opportunity provides mature students with a chance to utilize Shawsheen’s state-of-the-art equipment and welding fabrication shop, allowing them to train on a variety of current industry-standard equipment and preparing them for entry into today’s manufacturing and fabrication workforce,” said Pigeon. One of those students is Consolidated Sterilizer Systems’ very own Eric Gonzalez. A welder at CSS for the last 18 months, Gonzalez is currently attending Shawsheen’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Program to familiarize himself with the GTAW/TIG welding technique to keep up with manufacturing industry demands. “When I heard about the program, I figured that enrolling would be a smart way to both increase my skills and to help the company (CSS) keep up with incoming orders,” said Gonzalez. “I feel like I’ve gained a lot from the experience — Shaw Tech supplies everything you could possibly need to develop these skills.” Consolidated, along with the Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Consortium, MassHire Metro North, MassHire Lowell Career Center and Middlesex Community College, is proud to support Shawsheen’s dedicated effort to provide individuals with the hands-on welding experience they need to excel in the manufacturing industry and to drive sustained employability in the commonwealth. About CSS Consolidated Sterilizer Systems has manufactured steam sterilizers (autoclaves) in the USA since 1946. Through years of research and development, their products have satisfied leading academic, healthcare, food, and biotechnology facilities around the globe. Customers worldwide come to Consolidated because their product line offers the best price, functionality and predictable quality in the industry. Consolidated markets and sells its products in over 70 countries through qualified sales teams and manufacturer sales representatives. Media Contact Arthur Trapotsis Consolidated Sterilizer Systems 617-782-6072 ext. 2200 [email protected] Tweet Like Share
Consolidated Addresses Skills Gap: Partners With Shawsheen Valley Technical High School Written by: Arthur Trapotsis MS Biochemical Engineering, MBA, Consultant Advanced Manufacturing Training Program offers continued education in welding processes for motivated students. May 29, 2019 (BILLERICA, Mass) — Shawsheen Valley Technical High School (founded in 1970) has proudly served communities throughout Middlesex County by providing students with a world-class vocational and technical education. With Consolidated Sterilizer Systems newly relocated to Billerica, MA, and in need of trained welders, it was a natural fit to partner with Shawsheen to train and hire welders. Shawsheen’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Program offers a fantastic continuing education class in welding that covers such topics as welding processes, welding mathematics and pattern drafting, and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. Consolidated was happy to play a small role in the design of the curriculum as well as enroll one of its employees into the program. According to Andrew Pigeon, Director of Community Services & Post-Secondary Programs, “The program enables individuals to challenge themselves to learn new skills and work toward learning a variety of industry-based skills they can apply toward their careers in advanced manufacturing.” Over the course of the 5-month program, students learn how to do the following: Examine and perform liquid penetrant tests on their welds Critique welds and troubleshoot to improve basic fabrication Demonstrate the gas metal arc welding process (GMAW) Identify GMAW safety procedures Set up equipment for GMAW operations Form a weld bead using GMAW In addition to spending 20 hours in the Metal Fabrication Shop area completing hands-on training and academic competencies, students also take technical math and blueprint reading courses through Middlesex Community College and earn a 10-hour OSHA certification. “This opportunity provides mature students with a chance to utilize Shawsheen’s state-of-the-art equipment and welding fabrication shop, allowing them to train on a variety of current industry-standard equipment and preparing them for entry into today’s manufacturing and fabrication workforce,” said Pigeon. One of those students is Consolidated Sterilizer Systems’ very own Eric Gonzalez. A welder at CSS for the last 18 months, Gonzalez is currently attending Shawsheen’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Program to familiarize himself with the GTAW/TIG welding technique to keep up with manufacturing industry demands. “When I heard about the program, I figured that enrolling would be a smart way to both increase my skills and to help the company (CSS) keep up with incoming orders,” said Gonzalez. “I feel like I’ve gained a lot from the experience — Shaw Tech supplies everything you could possibly need to develop these skills.” Consolidated, along with the Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Consortium, MassHire Metro North, MassHire Lowell Career Center and Middlesex Community College, is proud to support Shawsheen’s dedicated effort to provide individuals with the hands-on welding experience they need to excel in the manufacturing industry and to drive sustained employability in the commonwealth. About CSS Consolidated Sterilizer Systems has manufactured steam sterilizers (autoclaves) in the USA since 1946. Through years of research and development, their products have satisfied leading academic, healthcare, food, and biotechnology facilities around the globe. Customers worldwide come to Consolidated because their product line offers the best price, functionality and predictable quality in the industry. Consolidated markets and sells its products in over 70 countries through qualified sales teams and manufacturer sales representatives. Media Contact Arthur Trapotsis Consolidated Sterilizer Systems 617-782-6072 ext. 2200 [email protected] Tweet Like Share
5.29.26 Protect Your Sterilizer & Keep Your OR Running With SterilSource → For sterile processing teams at healthcare facilities, providing purified water for their autoclave has historically meant accepting tradeoffs around floor space, budget, and throughput. Ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) and other, smaller healthcare facilities have felt this most acutely, with many having to choose between installing a bulky reverse osmosis (RO) system that takes up significant […]
5.28.26 Consolidated Sterilizer Systems Introduces SterilSource, a Premium Water Purification System for Healthcare Facilities and Life Science Labs → May 2026, Billerica, MA — Consolidated Sterilizer Systems is proud to announce the launch of SterilSource, a compact wall-mounted water purification system designed to meet the demanding water quality regulatory requirements of healthcare and life science environments. SterilSource is available in three configurations, offering scalable water treatment solutions from basic mineral and contaminant removal to […]
5.14.26 Consolidated Selected as Small Business Manufacturer by the University of California → What Set Us Apart Throughout the RFP process, Consolidated stood out for our: Relationship with UC, which predates this agreement, with many campuses already standardized on our autoclaves Low cost of ownership through non-proprietary parts and third-party service models, including local service Built-in water- and energy-saving features Support for both in-house and generator steam Custom […]
