On Friday, Dec. 16,  Rose students Cameron Taylor, Jesus Pena-Torres, Flynn Nease, ZiJohn Teele, Isiah Lopez-Rivera, Nathan Deis, David Meza and Lincoln Bond competed in a local welding competition at Pitt Community College (PCC). 

     Welding is an elective course offered to all Rose students. Throughout the course, students learn the basic processes of welding and work on different projects. 

      “They learn different positions and processes of stick welding, MIG [(metal inert gas)] welding and eventually TIG [(tungsten inert gas welding)],” welding instructor William Wilson said. 

     MIG, TIG and stick welding are three types of welding.

     “So stick welding is shielded metal arc [and] the flux on the rod is what actually protects the molten puddle from the atmosphere,” Wilson said. “MIG welding is automated so it is a wire feed and we have a shielding gas that protects the molton puddle from the atmosphere and then TIG welding is tungsten inert gas welding so we have a shielding gas and we use tungsten as our electrode and we have a filler wire that comes in on the side.” 

Photo by Collin Everette 

     During class everyday students work on different projects. 

     ¨We just walk in, get a project and start welding,¨ Meza said. ¨We've done a couple gates and trailers.¨

     During the competition, students had the opportunity to travel to PCC and have some of their welds judged. 

     ¨There was a horizontal 2G stick welding competition which is a grove plate with a bend test and there was a MIG competition for weld leg sizes and joint design,” Wilson said. ¨They were judged on their fit up work, their weld preps, the way the beads looked, and on the bend test they were judged on how they actually work.¨    

     Welding two and three students had their work judged at the competition. 

     “So the welding three students [did] grove welds. They had a 2G or horizontal groove plate [and] they had to prep the material, fit it up, weld a route pass, weld their intermediate and cover passes and then do a bend test,” Wilson said. “The welding two students had a series of weld joints and weld leg sizes to compete against or to do.”

     The welding elective allows students to work hands on and grow their skill in the trade. Students who are interested in welding can sign up for the elective when class registration becomes available. 

     ¨It's a great career; it's a nice skill to learn and it can take you a very very long way in the future,¨ Wilson said. 

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