High school students enrolled in welding classes at Northeast Community College’s O’Neill extended campus had the opportunity to put their skills to the test during the fourth annual Fridays @ Northeast Weld Off on April 25.
Held at the end of the academic year, the event challenged participants with both indoor and outdoor welding tasks designed to simulate real-world conditions.
Eleven students competed in the event, each completing nine different shielded metal arc welds (SMAW) inside welding booths as well as outside for an “out-of-the-booth” experience. The outdoor portion aimed to give students a taste of the conditions they might face in the welding industry — such as working in wind and weather.
“Most of the time, students get their hands-on practice in welding booths where everything’s controlled,” said Robert Stout, welding instructor and organizer of the competition. “But in the real world, welders are often working outdoors in unpredictable elements. That kind of exposure definitely had an impact on how some of them performed.”
The competition awarded trophies to the top three performers, in addition to sponsored prizes generously provided by Midlands Mechanical, Doogie Hats, CMR, Norfolk Specialties, Stout Welding LLC, and Northeast Community College. First place was awarded to Kyle Schmidt of West Holt; second place went to Jameson Estill of Stuart; and third place to Blake Wallinger of Stuart. Judges included Jared Shawn from Stout Welding, and Dylan Macklem, from Rebellion Fabrication.
Stout emphasized the importance of staying composed under pressure and focusing on the skills students have developed throughout the year.
“I told them that when competition or test day comes, it’s their experience and confidence that will carry them,” he said. “Nerves can lead to mistakes. I encouraged them to trust in what they’ve learned and let their work speak for itself. A good welder doesn’t need to brag—if you’re skilled, people will notice.”
The Weld Off is part of the Fridays @ Northeast program, which allows high school seniors to spend Fridays on one of three Northeast campuses, exploring career pathways through hands-on learning. At the O’Neill extended campus, offerings include welding, building construction, medical aide, nurse aide, and comprehensive medical terminology.
Welding students at Northeast receive instruction on modern processes using industry-standard equipment. The program covers gas and arc welding, inert-gas arc welding, continuous wire production welding, as well as background coursework in metallurgy, blueprint reading, and applied mathematics. Classes are held Monday through Thursday, giving students a three-day weekend.
Graduates are well-positioned for entry-level jobs in production welding or job shops and are eligible to earn American Welding Society (AWS) certification.
To learn more about Fridays @ Northeast and early college opportunities, visit northeast.edu/admissions/early-college.
Welding winners
The winners of the Weld Off at O’Neill (from left) were Blake Wallinger of Stuart, third; Kyle Schmidt of West Holt, first; Jameson Estill of Stuart, second; and Robert Stout, welding instructor. (Northeast Community College)
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