By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN

dobrien@dailynews.net

The technical college in Hays continues to add something new in programming or construction every few years.

This year will mark the inaugural graduation for welding students from the Hays campus of North Central Kansas Technical College.

Following the first year of a cooperative agreement with Fort Hays State University, six students will receive certificates from the Kansas Institute of Welding at Saturday's graduation ceremonies.

The tech college's 2009 graduation is set for 3 p.m. at FHSU's Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center, with the nursing pinning earlier that afternoon at 1:30, also at Beach/Schmidt.

A total of 82 students in 10 different departments will be awarded either certificates or two-year associate degrees. Commencement speaker will be Rep. Eber Phelps, D-Hays.

Welding is the newest program at the Hays site, which began 35 years ago as a satellite program from the main campus in Beloit with a practical nursing program in what was then St. Anthony Hospital.

The Hays campus now features programs in 10 different areas of study and includes associate degrees in eight of those areas.

NCKTC is hoping to expand its programming this summer, if it is approved at tonight's Hays City Commission meeting to lease the former U.S. Army Reserve Center on south Main Street.

The extra space would give the electricity program the opportunity to offer a second-year program, as well as offering a new program -- plumbing, heating and air conditioning -- and resurrecting another, carpentry.

NCKTC had a carpentry program in Hays in the early days of the school in what now is the nursing building on campus, but it was dropped after a few years.

In the past, students from the Hays campus wishing to continue working toward an associate's degree in electricity transferred to the Beloit campus for the second year of study.

Don Benjamin, dean of the Hays campus, said he knows the two new programs probably would have limited enrollment next year because of the lack of recruiting time.

But if they are anything like the welding program, those programs could take off in a hurry.

Welding, which has its lab classes on the FHSU campus, will graduate six Saturday. But that program already is full to capacity (18 students) for next year's class and has a waiting list.

Despite the waiting list, Benjamin encourages interested students to apply.

"Some may not show up, then we move the names up," he said. "Traditionally, plans change for some, and they end up not coming after all. That just opens it up for someone else."

Twenty-nine two-year degrees will be awarded to students Saturday in automotive technology, general business, nursing and pharmacy technology, while 53 certificates will be awarded in business management, business technology, nursing, pharmacy technology, residential electricity and welding.

Benjamin is hoping that number can rise next year.

"I think the quality of the education and the opportunity the students have had of getting good paying jobs," Benjamin said of the stable enrollment at the college. "That's been the success of the college."