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Welding Students Show Off at Showdown

Thirty students compete in Second Annual Welding Showdown

Career Technical Education (CTE) students from six area high schools competed in the Second Annual Welding Showdown at Delta College on Jan. 22. The showdown gives students the platform to showcase their skills in a variety of welding processes.

Patterson High School received top honors in both team and individual competitions.  Venture Academy Family of Schools (VAFS) received fourth place overall, with three members of the five-person team placing in the top ten. Students from the winning team took home new welding gear, gloves, jackets, hoods, and glasses. All students received a pair of new gloves, literature, calendars, and stickers donated by Miller Electric and Lincoln Electric, industry leaders in welding equipment.

This event gives students a chance to expose their skills to industry representatives who helped judge the event, said Chris Kleinert, San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) CTE director.

“A competition like this brings about awareness,” said Kleinert. “Many of these trades need more students.” 

Industry partnerships are a valued component of the CTE programs at SJCOE. The partnerships allow for students to participate in internships through cooperative vocational education. 

There are many different welding processes: shielded metal arc welding/ stick welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), and gas tungsten arc welding (TIG). Students competed using SMAW and GMAW. The competition included a written exam that assessed students on their fundamental welding knowledge.

This is the second year that local CTE students have competed in the showdown. John Herger, CTE welding instructor for SJCOE, said that the idea for the competition came from a conversation between him and Patterson High’s instructor Michael Costa.

This year, 30 students competed from six high schools. Patterson High, Lincoln High, Linden High, Ripon High, Sierra High, and Venture Academy, each fielded a five-person team. The previous year the contest saw twelve students from VAFS and Patterson High School.

Two years ago, Herger and Costa met and discussed ways to motivate students and to give them something to work toward that was rewarding and challenging. This year Alex Taddei, Delta College welding instructor, joined the collaboration, which increased the level of competition and allowed more schools in the region to participate.

“My goal is to refine and improve the contest each year,” Herger said. Herger said he was grateful to the business partners for their time and donations and to San Joaquin Delta College for hosting the event.

“I can’t wait for next year!”

Posted: 2/1/2016