Andrew Cardin, 22, of Sutton, MA, was recently awarded a $40,000 scholarship, sponsored by Miller Electric Mfg. Co., for earning the welding spot on the 2015 SkillsUSA World Team. The Miller Electric International WorldSkills Competition Scholarship was awarded through the American Welding Society (AWS) Foundation.
Now in its 22nd year, the scholarship exists to inspire young welders and to support the need for training on an industry-wide basis. The annual SkillsUSA event showcases and promotes the industry through education and intensive competition, like the U.S. Invitational Weld Trials, where students compete to become the SkillsUSA World Team welder and represent the United States at the WorldSkills event.
For Cardin, SkillsUSA helped him focus on and develop the areas that interested him in school. He plans to use his $40,000 scholarship to earn an associate degree and followed by a bachelor's degree, likely in education, welding engineering or metallurgy, with the hope of someday becoming a welding instructor.
"Teaching is something that is really in my DNA. SkillsUSA has taught me a lot about what I can do with welding - not just be a welder in the field, but also go into training and other aspects of the trade," said Cardin. "It has been a life changing experience in every aspect of my life."
The AWS Skills Competition addresses the gap between education and the welding industry. "The industry will face a shortage of approximately 400,000 welding operators by 2024," said an AWS spokesperson.
"Encouraging and rewarding talent and excellence through competitions like SkillsUSA is one way to attract young welding operators to the industry," said a spokesperson.
As the TeamUSA finalist, Cardin represented the United States at the WorldSkills event in Brazil, where he won a Medal of Excellence and finished fifth among a field of 38 welders.
For more information contact:
Miller Electric Mfg. Co.
P.O. Box 100
Lithonia, GA 30058
800-426-4553
info@millerwelds.com
www.millerwelds.com