Cooper Wins Skills USA Welding Competition in Statesboro

Statesboro – More than 250 high school students and 50 counselors/advisors from all over the region — including those from as far as Thomson, Louisville and Sandersville —  were present to compete in more than 30 categories for the Skills USA Region 6 Competition in Statesboro. This is the largest regional Skills USA competition in Georgia.

Chris Cooper (L) shows off his welding skills with STC Instructor Jeff Partridge (R) after his Skills USA region win.

Chris Cooper, a welding dual enrollment student at Sandersville Technical College and senior at Jefferson County High School, placed first in the welding competition. This win makes Chris eligible for the state competition this April in Atlanta.

In the welding competition, competitors receive contest drawings and a set of welding procedure specifications. Through a series of stations, contestants are tested on various aspects of welding: measuring weld replicas, using weld measuring gauges; laying out a plate and using oxy-acetylene equipment to cut several holes that are checked for accuracy and quality; gas metal arc welding (GMAW) on steel making welds in various positions using short circuiting transfers; and, using a combination machine capable of providing the correct welding current for shielded metal arc (SMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW).

Competitors then complete the steel project and weld an aluminum project in various positions using a variety of filler metals.

STC Welding Instructor Jeff Partridge notes, “This is a wonderful accomplishment for Chris, especially as a first-time competitor. It just goes to show you how much effort this young man put into learning his craft.”

It is also a testament to the leaders of JCHS to include dual enrollment classes with Sandersville Tech. “This allows students to explore their career potential while still in high school. Students enrolled in dual enrollment can earn both high school and college credit at the same time, giving them a head start on a career or a more advanced college diploma or degree after they graduate high school,” states Partridge.

After graduation, Chris plans to attend East Georgia College for Forestry Sciences. STC congratulates Chris on his outstanding win.

The SkillsUSA Championships is the showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation. Contests begin locally and continue through the state and national levels. The philosophy of the Championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers' needs.

March 4, 2008

(2008, March 13). The News and Farmer / Jefferson Reporter, p3B.