Steel Day to bring regional high school students to LCCC, Puma Steel

CHEYENNE, Wyoming – The Steel Day welding competition is back in its seventh year at Laramie County Community College, bringing high school juniors and seniors from all over the region to put their skills to the test. 

As part of a collaboration among LCCC, Puma Steel and the American Institute of Steel Construction, more than 150 students will come to Cheyenne to compete for scholarships and prizes. The qualifying round will take place at 8 a.m. Oct. 19 at LCCC’s welding lab, with the finals to be held at 7 a.m. Oct. 20 at Puma Steel in Cheyenne. More than $25,000 in scholarship support is up for grabs, most of which can be used at participating Wyoming community colleges. All finalists will be awarded a scholarship at different levels and various welding gear. 

Participants will take written exams and complete a weld for the qualifying round and again in the finals. 

The competition is an exciting way for high school students to demonstrate their abilities and learn from welding experts, said Scott VanHorn, LCCC Trades & Technical Studies Pathway coordinator. Additionally, the students have the chance to see what job training and a career in welding could look like. 

“It’s a great opportunity for the students to showcase their skills, get feedback from industry professionals and find out more about how this can be a career option for them,” VanHorn said. 

The event also gives industry partners a chance to showcase their companies for possible future employees. 

“Not only that, but it gives the private industry partners the chance to see the high quality of tradesmen and tradeswomen coming out of our Wyoming school systems,” VanHorn said. “That quality each year has only gotten better and better.” 

Participants will also be invited to tour LCCC’s campus and Puma Steel, with chances to network with industry partners.

Since 2009, hundreds of events have taken place around the U.S. as part of National Steel Day, an annual celebration of the structural steel industry sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction and hosted by its members and partners. 

Go to lccc.wy.edu/trades for more information about the Trades & Technical Studies Pathway at LCCC or contact Scott VanHorn at SVanHorn@lccc.wy.edu or 307.778.4360.