Welding team participates in national competition
June 19, 2023Students qualify after earning gold at regionals, state
Yuma, AZ (June 19, 2023) – Arizona Western College welders are representing Arizona at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia this week from June 19-23.
Under the leadership of AWC Professor of Welding and Technology Bobby Alvarado, team members Patrick Van Fleet, Brandon Relph, and Rose Rivera earned the opportunity to compete at the national level in the Welding Fabrication category after winning regional and state competitions.
When they were recently announced as gold medalists at state, Patrick recalled, “I just felt so relieved, and I was very happy to know that all the practice and training and studying paid off.”
“I was pretty speechless,” said Brandon. “For us to take first, it was amazing. It blew us out of the water. We weren’t expecting it at all.”
Rose added, “At first, we honestly didn’t think that we were going to win because several other teams were well prepared, so we just did our best. We had to borrow some of the equipment and one of the machines didn’t work, but Mr. Bobby always taught us to adapt with what we’ve got. The fact that we got first – it really took us by surprise and we were super excited.”
At nationals, the team is using their welding and fabrication skills to build a grill from the materials and blueprints they are provided. Their finished product will be judged against projects created by other state competition winners from across the country. The welders will also be tested on their knowledge of safety protocols and various welding and cutting processes.
The team has been preparing by logging multiple hands-on practice sessions each week, and that’s in addition to the time they’ve spent studying for the tests they will be taking during the competition.
Patrick Van Fleet
After being wounded in 2012 as an infantry Marine in Afghanistan, Patrick was trying to determine what he could do with his life from the confines of his wheelchair when he decided to start taking classes at AWC.
He started out earning his associate and bachelor’s degrees in Automotive Technology, and it was during that time that he found out that he no longer needed to use his wheelchair.
Then he got into welding. What started as a hobby and something therapeutic he could do to unwind quickly sparked into a passion.
“The more and more I found out about welding, the more I wanted to do,” said Patrick. “And now, I am moving to Iowa to take a welding job as an automation technician for Airgas.”
Patrick graduated from AWC in May with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Welding, along with three different Welding Certifications.
Brandon Relph
For as long as he can remember, Brandon has always been interested in welding.
“Growing up, I was always around welding. My grandpa used to race cars and that’s one thing that he did was welding. He built the car frames and he did a lot of fabrication work,” said Brandon.
“As I got older, I started doing it a little bit more and eventually that’s when I decided after high school that I wanted to get more into it. So, I went to AWC, earned all of my Welding Certifications, graduated in May, and now I’m working as a welding fabricator. Mr. Bobby always pushed me and pushed me - and now I’m already out here working in the real world. If it wasn’t for him, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Brandon shared that during his time at AWC, he appreciated how the Welding Program prepared him to work in the outside world and that he was able to spend as much time as he needed fine tuning his craft.
“It’s definitely not a trade that’s learned overnight. There’s always something to practice, there’s always something you can improve on. That’s one thing that I can say about AWC is that you get that time to practice, and they even offer open lab time so you can come in anytime and spend as much time as you want. It’s an amazing program. The professors there are just very down to earth.”
Rose Rivera
After high school, Rose served in the Army for five years before entering the Welding Program at AWC.
She was researching what programs the college had to offer, and she remembered loving the welding project she did in FFA at Gila Ridge High School and decided to pursue the field.
“I’m a creative person, so I thought with welding, I get to help make things and I get to see my creations come to life, and that’s something that’s always interested me,” said Rose.
“When I first came into the program, seeing all those machines was definitely nerve-wracking. And then not being able to successfully do some of the welds, I’d go to Mr. Bobby, Patrick, or Brandon to ask for help and they would show me the ways that they would do it. I just evolved off of that on my own and found my own pattern. Now I’m able to help other students.”
Rose is currently working toward her Associate in Applied Science degree in Welding Technology with a STEM emphasis and she plans to transfer to NAU-Yuma to earn her bachelor’s degree. In the future, she hopes to pursue additional education to become an underwater welder.
“In high school I was a swimmer, I always loved being in the water. The fact that I love being in the water, and I can do welding in the water, it combines two things that I love.”
Contact:
Bobby Alvarado
Professor of Welding and Technology
Arizona Western College
Noberto.Alvarado@azwestern.edu
(928) 344-7570