Luis Ortega

Luis Ortega leads the Welding Technology program in the Trades & Innovation Center. He earned his own welding degree at Palmetto Ridge and spent fourteen years working in shipbuilding and structural steel along the Southeast coast before coming back to teach.

Luis has built strong partnerships with local shipyards, manufacturers, and the new Boatbuilding & Marine Systems lab at Cypress Landing Marina, and nearly every graduate of his program has a job offer before finishing. He teaches in both English and Spanish when it helps students learn, and he runs a summer welding camp for high school students. He is especially proud of the number of women who have joined the program in recent years.