Tulsa Welding School Hosts Annual Welding Competition in Jacksonville

March 25, 2013 - TWS Jacksonville held its ninth annual competition on Saturday, March 16, 2013. Around 120 high school seniors traveled from Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida to TWS – Jacksonville, the school's Jacksonville campus.

Tulsa Welding School holds two competitions every year, one at the Tulsa campus, and one at the Jacksonville campus. Last year between the two competitions at both campuses, TWS awarded over $245,000 in scholarships and prizes to participating students.

Awards and competition winners are as follows:

First Place – Full tuition scholarship to Tulsa Welding School: Bradley Bramel

Second and Third place – Half tuition scholarship to Tulsa Welding School: Levi Wells, Thomas Fassler

Fourth and Fifth places – Quarter tuition scholarship to Tulsa Welding School: Dustin Long, Joseph Andracsek

All other contestants received a $500 scholarship to Tulsa Welding School.

Honorable Mentions: Logan Morgan, Corey Tibbs, Donald Cox III, Warren Hardy, Cordell Wagoner

Hundreds of students from a number of states travel to Tulsa and Jacksonville to compete each year. In addition to the games, the event also serves as an orientation to students interested in attending one of the school's vocational programs in Florida or Oklahoma. The event includes a tour of the facilities, demonstrations by welding equipment manufacturers, and talks from prospective employers, student services, financial aid, and admissions department representatives. Family members can even try their hand at welding and metal cutting to get a taste of what students experience in welding classes.

The competition itself is a timed arc welding test that requires participants to use various positions and techniques to complete. Contestants are graded on adherence to procedure, the quality of the weld, and final completion time.

This year's distinguished attendees included Doug Yates, Chairman of the Local American Welding Society, and Carl V. Matricardi, District 5 Director of the American Welding Society.

A special thanks goes out to the many who generously donated time, award money, and prizes: Jim Issa (Lincoln Electric), Michael Keith (Airgas Automation), Chuck Frazier (Airgas Safety Specialist), Leo Marquis (Stanley Tools), Ron Longo (Tec Torch), Travis Maton (Dewalt), Bill Burstadt (Dewalt Service Center), John Britt (Honeywell (Fibre Metal)), Loren Gay (Gorgeous Graphics), Scott Fosbinder (Metro Steel), Russ Pierce (Makita USA). Airgas representatives volunteered to host the Arcs & Sparks Welding Trailer, including Norm Cobb, Tim Hill, Scott Carter, and Ken Goss.

Tulsa Welding School was founded in 1949 to train skilled tradesmen in welding. Over the decades, TWS expanded its program offerings and opened a second campus in Jacksonville, Florida. The school now trains students in Professional Welder, Pipefitting, Shipfitting, Electro-Mechanical Technologies diploma programs, and offers an Associate of Occupational Studies degree, which is an expansion of the Professional Welder Program. High school graduates, veterans, and professionals searching for a way to gain experience in a new field are encouraged to contact Tulsa Welding School for more information about technical training.

Accredited School, ACCSC. TWS-Jacksonville is a branch campus of Tulsa Welding School, located at 2545 E. 11th St., Tulsa, OK 74104. Licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education, License No. 2331. Accredited in Indiana by the SWIC. GI Bill Eligible (check with local campus for specific eligibility). For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who complete our programs, and other important information, please visit our website at: http://www.weldingschool.com/GEdisclosure/