According to the American Welding Society, there's a growing demand for welders, especially in the state of Texas. Professors at Del Mar College have been working to meet that demand.
Del Mar's annual Dia De Los Muertos Welding Competition showcased student skills that could be very valuable to employers in the near future.
Competitor, Ismael Vela said this competition was a great way to expose him to other young, talented welders in the area.
"To be here is quite an honor because I was personally picked. It's quite an excitement, for the first time, to be in the competition," Vela said.
Vela was one of the close to 200 competitors at Del Mar's welding competition. Along with students from Del Mar, the competition also brought students from high schools all around the Coastal Bend to shoot their shot at winning a $1,500 scholarship.
Assistant professor of welding, Samuel Garcia said the contest has almost doubled its participants from last year.
"Today we stand at 192 contestants. We've had more sponsors. We have people coming in as far as Houston and they're here as vendors. "
According to the American Welding Society, by 2027 there will be a need for 336,000 welding professionals. Most of those welders will be needed in Texas. Garcia says that the work students do at Del Mar will do more than prepare the country's welding demand.
"That umbrella is super big. That ranges from tackers all the way up to Class A welders. There's lots of positions available. And what we do here at Del Mar is we try to instill great quality in everything that they do. That's what is going to be needed when they go look for that job."
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