Northeast Ohio Student Wins SkillsUSA National Welding Competition


Connor Roberts Takes Home Gold in the High School Division



Cleveland – A high school student from Willoughby-Eastlake Tech Center in Willoughby, Ohio, took home the gold medal from the SkillsUSA Championships held June 22-23 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Student Connor Roberts beat out the field in the high school division of the national welding competition.



He will be presented with a Lincoln Electric POWER MIG® 210 MP multi-process wire feeder/welder valued at more than $1,100, as well as $500 from the James F. Lincoln Foundation (JFLF). Roberts’ welding instructor, Ryan Eubank, also will be awarded a POWER MIG 210 MP.



“As part of the JFLF welding awards program, Lincoln Electric proudly supports SkillsUSA and its mission to empower the professional welders of tomorrow,” says Carl Peters, director of technical training, Lincoln Electric. “The welding competition is designed to prepare students for a career in the welding field.”



More than 6,000 career and technical education students — all state contest winners — competed in 100 different hands-on trade, technical and leadership fields during the 52nd SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, which included the SkillsUSA Championships.



Participants in the welding competition are scored on a variety of assessments. The first is a 50-question multiple choice quiz. The second is a one-minute presentation to a panel of three judges on an assigned welding topic. Students are scored on their knowledge of the topic, manner of presentation and how they conduct themselves during the presentation.



Finally, contestants are tested on various aspects of welding including: 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; flux cored arc welding (FCAW) using a shielding gas, making welds in various positions; and using a combination machine capable of providing the correct welding current for shielded metal arc (SMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). Competitors complete the steel project and weld an aluminum project in various positions using a variety of filler metals.



Lincoln Electric is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, robotic arc welding systems, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting equipment and has a leading global position in the brazing and soldering alloys market. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln has 48 manufacturing locations, including operations and joint ventures in 19 countries and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices covering more than 160 countries. For more information about Lincoln Electric and its products and services, visit the Company’s website at http://www.lincolnelectric.com.



Media Contacts:

Robin Suttell – rsuttell@fallscommunications.com or 216-696-0229

Greg Coleman – greg_coleman@lincolnelectric.com or 216-383-2462


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