(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – For six Texas State Technical College students, a recent trip to Corpus Christi proved to be a historic milestone for their program.
For the first time, students in the Welding program at the TSTC Breckenridge campus earned medals during the SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary Leadership and Skills Conference held earlier this month.
The team of Justin Andrews, Mason Bounds and Eli Chisholm earned the silver medal in Welding Fabrication. Additionally, the team of Jonathan Diaz, Maria Duran and Alejandro Franco Jr. took home the bronze medal in the same event.
“I am extremely proud of these students for the efforts they showed during SkillsUSA,” said Jacob Gonzales, the welding instructor at the Breckenridge campus. “This was the second straight year we sent a team, which included our dual-credit students from Breckenridge High School. They showed professionalism and good sportsmanship throughout the week.”
Gonzales said he hopes this year’s achievement serves as a foundation for the program’s future.
“Now that we have a good knowledge of what to expect, I feel we will have more students compete in the state event,” he said.
For the students, the week was a mix of intense competition, camaraderie with fellow TSTC students and well-earned free time. Bounds, a dual-credit high school student, noted the steep learning curve of the event.
“It was a great learning experience,” Bounds said. “We adjusted to everything pretty well.”
Chisholm, who competed last year as a dual-credit student, noticed an increased level of difficulty this year.
“There was no material ready, so we had to adapt a lot,” he said. “We worked well together.”
In the fabrication event, each team was required to build a project from provided materials based on specific blueprints. Students also had to demonstrate proficiency using common workshop tools. Andrews credited their preparation in the Breckenridge lab for their success.
“We were competitive to the very last minute,” Andrews said. “We gave it our best shot and remained on top of all the problems that we were presented with.”
Beyond the welding booths, the trip allowed the students to bond. Diaz, also a dual-credit student, said the opportunity was about more than just the competition.
“We explored a lot and did some fishing,” Diaz said. “It was a great experience with a great group of people.”
Franco, a returning competitor, noted that the specific focus of this year’s challenge played to the team’s strengths.
“It was a lot harder this year because it was a pipe project,” he said. “We have been working on pipe welding a lot in class, which gave us an advantage over other teams.”
Duran credited Gonzales with ensuring the teams were technically prepared for the pressure of the state stage.
“When we looked at the blueprints, it was nothing we had not seen before,” Duran said. “We were confident in the work we had to complete.”
SkillsUSA is a professional organization focused on employability, leadership and technical skills that help college students pursue successful careers and be part of a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA has more than 100 specific contests at the state and national events in which students can compete, from 3D Visualization and Animation to Welding Sculpture.
For more information about TSTC, visit TSTC.edu.
