A high school student from Willoughby-Eastlake Tech Center in Willoughby, OH, took home the gold medal from the SkillsUSA Championships held recently in Louisville, KY. Student Connor Roberts won the high school division of the national welding competition.
He will be presented with a Lincoln Electric POWER MIG 210 MP multi-process wire feeder/welder, as well as $500 from the James F. Lincoln Foundation (JFLF). Roberts' welding instructor, Ryan Eubank, also will be awarded a POWER MIG 210 MP.
"As part of the JFLF welding awards program, Lincoln Electric proudly supports SkillsUSA and its mission to empower the professional welders of tomorrow," said Carl Peters, Director of Technical Training, Lincoln Electric. "The welding competition is designed to prepare students for a career in the welding field."
More than 6,000 career and technical education students - all state contest winners - competed in 100 different hands-on trade, technical and leadership fields during the 52nd SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, which included the SkillsUSA Championships.
Participants in the welding competition are scored on a variety of assessments. The first is a 50-question multiple choice quiz. The second is a one-minute presentation to a panel of three judges on an assigned welding topic. Students are scored on their knowledge of the topic, manner of presentation and how they conduct themselves during the presentation.
Finally, contestants are tested on various aspects of welding including: measuring weld replicas using weld measuring gauges; laying out a plate and using oxy-acetylene equipment to cut several holes that are checked for accuracy and quality; gas metal arc welding (GMAW) on steel, making welds in various positions using short circuiting transfers; flux cored arc welding (FCAW) using a shielding gas, making welds in various positions; and using a combination machine capable of providing the correct welding current for shielded metal arc (SMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). Competitors complete the steel project and weld an aluminum project in various positions using a variety of filler metals.
For more information contact:
The Lincoln Electric Company
22801 St. Clair Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44117-1199
216-481-8100 / 888-935-3877
info@lincolnelectric.com
www.lincolnelectric.com