LCCC recognizes national Steel Day with welding competition

CHEYENNE, WYO. – In conjunction with national Steel Day, Laramie County Community College is partnering with Puma Steel and the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) to host the 3rd annual Steel Day welding competition Sept. 22- 24. High school students from four states will compete in a preliminary competition on the LCCC campus, Sept. 22-23.  Fifteen welders will qualify for the Steel Day welding competition finals on Friday, Sept. 24.

The qualifying rounds of the competition will be held in LCCC’s state-of-the-art welding lab, allowing each student access to individual welding bays and industry standard equipment and materials. Students will be asked to demonstrate specific welding skills in the qualifying rounds, followed by a written exam and advanced welds in the finals at Puma Steel. All finalists will be eligible for the AISC Rex I. Lewis Scholarship ($4,000), part of $20,000 in scholarships to attend LCCC’s welding program, and prizes included donated welders, helmets and other items. 

Governor Mark Gordon will present the winning students with their awards. He joins LCCC President, Dr. Joe Schaffer and Wyoming Education Superintendent, Jillian Balow as they provide remarks at 11 a.m. on Sept. 24 at Puma Steel. Students and the public are invited to tour the Puma Steel facility in addition to participate in the welding competition activities. 

In the three years that LCCC, Puma Steel and the AISC have been hosting this program, nearly 200 students have participated and more than $50,000 in scholarship support has been awarded to participating students. 

For more information on the Steel Day welding competition or the welding program at LCCC contact Sam Graham, welding instructor at 307.432.1647 or samgrahamFREELARAMIE.