Winners of high school welding competition announced

COEUR d'ALENE — About 45 sophomores, juniors and seniors participated in North Idaho College's fourth annual high school SkillsUSA regional welding competition, held Friday at NIC's welding facility in Coeur d'Alene.

Students hailed from Kootenai Technical Education Campus (KTEC) as well as Lakeland and Sandpoint high schools. They demonstrated their skills and knowledge of the welding craft to earn custom-made trophies, welding helmets and other items and accessories.

"This has been a great event that has seen exceptional growth and interest every year," said NIC welding instructor Tim Straw. "It is great to see such an interest in the welding trade coming from high school students. Today's students are tomorrow's workforce and with the need for a skilled trades and industry workforce, it is paramount to get the exposure and interest out to today's up-and-coming workforce."

Numerous sponsors such as Coeur d'Alene Metals, Pacific Steel, A-L Compressed Gases, Inc. and Oxarc stepped up to donate steel and prizes for the event, Straw said. Welding industry employers provided the judges, who critiqued the students on consistency, ability to work quickly and ability to fully and correctly complete tasks.

2016 high school SkillsUSA regional welding competition results:

• Overall winner: Tavis Woempner, Lakeland High School

• First place, cutting: Cody Nowaj, KTEC

• First place, gas metal arc welding: Wes Browning, KTEC

• First place, shielded metal arc welding: Troy Smith, KTEC