Approximately fifty students from Bryant Career Technical Center (Irvington, AL), North Baldwin Center for Technology (Bay Minette, AL), Escambia-Brewton Career/Technical Center (Brewton, AL), Faulkner Career Technical Center (Prichard, AL), Greene County Vo-Tech (Leakesville, MS) and George County Center (Lucedale, MS) participated in the welding competition.
"According to Forbes Magazine, Mobile has been named the fastest growing small metropolitan area between 2007 and 2012," says Aleida Johnson, Program Director for ABC. "With so much growth, especially with ThyssenKrupp and the great possibility of EADS, we are in more desperate need to get qualified workers in the pipeline. The students who compete in this competition and those who are enrolled in the construction and maintenance crafts programs are ahead of the game. We just have to get other students excited about the grand opportunities that the construction industry offers."
"The competition gives me an opportunity to meet talented high school welders that can benefit from continuing their education at our technical classes," added Leon Jackson, welding instructor at Bishop State. "In addition, as a teacher, I look forward to building relationships with other instructors from around the area who bring their students and share curriculum and teaching strategies."
"Our facilities have all the equipment necessary to hold a welding competition, and we have enjoyed hosting at our Carver campus," said Dr. Betty Leslie, director of Bishop State's Carver Campus. "Through competitions like these, we can teach and encourage our young people to tap into technical skills that can lead to successful, well-paying careers."Participants include students enrolled in welding programs or programs that teach welding, such as plumbing and pipefitting. Students can compete in the first year or advanced level. The students in the first year category will complete a weld, according to drawings and instructions provided to each student. The advanced competitor will complete a weld, according to drawings and instructions as well as complete a written test. ABC awarded cash scholarships to the top three students in the 1st year and Advance categories.
Associated Builders and Contractors Mid Gulf Chapter has been involved with helping to improve public education and creating opportunities for students in Mobile and Baldwin County since 1996. ABC has invested more than $300,000 developing high school construction technology classes to recruit and train students for careers in construction, hosting and participating in career and job fairs, providing mini grants to career technical programs, etc.
Corporate sponsors and vendors for the 2008 ABC High School Craft Olympics Welding Competition
Airgas; Gulf States, Inc.; Alabama Power; Barry Steam Plant; Atlantic Marine; Austal U.S.A.; Austin Maintenance & Construction; B E & K; Batchelor's Mechanical Contractors; Ben M. Radcliff Contractors; Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc.; Brim Construction Group; Chevron Pascagoula Refinery; Evonik; Degussa Industries; Metals U.S.A.; Miller Electric; Performance Contractors; Picket & Adams Insurance; Pierce Construction & Maintenance Co.; Rogers & Willard, Inc.; S & S Sprinkler, LLC; Slugger Smith Equipment; The Harris Products Group; The Lincoln Electric; WESCO Gas and Welding Supply; and Wiltew.
Winners of the 1st year Category
1st Place &ndash Christopher Helton, 2nd Place &ndash Jonathan Elmore, 3rd Place &ndash K.J. Bullard, all three are 10th-grade students at Greene County High School enrolled in Greene County Vo-Tech.
Winners of the Advanced Category
1st Place &ndash Zack Brown, an 11th-grade student at Greene County High School enrolled in Greene County Vo-Tech, 2nd Place &ndash Matt Bryant, a 12th-grade student at Baldwin County High School enrolled in the North Baldwin Center for Technology, 3rd Place &ndash A.J. Walley, an 11th-grade student at Greene County High School enrolled in Greene County Vo-Tech.