(ABILENE, Texas) – Some enthusiastic high school students in West Texas competed for scholarships during welding competitions at Texas State Technical College campuses in Abilene and Sweetwater in April.

Students used TSTC’s lab equipment to make a piece designed to test their welding skills. All four of TSTC’s West Texas campuses hosted events in April to promote the college’s Welding Technology program and allow students to tour labs and learn about scholarship opportunities.

“Welding is a high-demand skill that takes many hours of practice and attention to detail,” said Chris Johnson, TSTC’s lead recruiter in West Texas. “It is a great day for us to see young men and women who have spent that time and energy in improving this skill.”

For one competitor, it was a chance to see how the lab will work when he returns to Sweetwater this fall. Floydada High School senior Alexyz Alvarado will begin studying for an Associate of Applied Science degree this fall.

“I enjoyed coming here because it gave me some experience,” he said of the Abilene campus.

His father, Erik Alvarado, accompanied him to the Abilene event and was impressed with his son’s ability.

“I knew he was nervous in the beginning, but this will help him when he starts college this fall,” Erik Alvarado said. “He knows what is expected of him after talking to some of the instructors.”

Alexyz Alvarado began welding as a freshman and said the Abilene event was challenging.

“I practice all the time, and I have done some of the same angles we did here,” he said. “I cannot wait to come back and learn more.”

Welding instructor Dillon Burton said the Abilene contest was designed to show more than the students’ technique. It also made competitors think about the measurements and angles needed to make a perfect piece.

“This project was designed for the students to see some progress,” Burton said.

Greg Nicholas, TSTC’s lead welding instructor in Abilene, wanted the event to be a showcase for the lab.

“I wanted to get students in here and see what we have,” he said. “This helped promote our program and got our name out to a lot of different people. No one in our area has shops like we do at TSTC.”

Nicholas also used the daylong contest as a way to talk to advisors and teachers.

“This gave me the chance to build relationships with people in our area. All of our instructors were able to do that this year during the contests,” he said.

More than 70 students competed at the four campus events, with prizes and scholarships awarded at each. High school students that competed this year were from Big Spring, Breckenridge, Canyon, Clyde, Cross Plains, Floydada, Hawley, Liberty Hill, New Castle, Rolling Plains Technical School, Roscoe, Seymour, Stamford and Trent.

Stephen Hope, Breckenridge’s welding instructor, said plans are being made to continue the competition each year.

“This is a great way for us, as instructors, to promote our program and show people our facilities all at the same time,” he said.

The Welding Technology program is eligible for TSTC’s Money-Back Guarantee, which refunds tuition money to a student if he or she does not find a job in their field within six months of graduation. 

For more information, visit tstc.edu.