SCTC welding students demonstrate their skills

BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. - Students from the Sikeston Career and Technology Center went to Blytheville recently to compete in the Northeastern Arkansas College annual "Tomorrows Outstanding Professionals Skills Challenge." Ten schools and technology centers in two different states took part in the challenge.

This was a timed event were students spent the last few months preparing for to show cases their talents in their given technical classes taken at SCTC.

In each event the top three places received prizes, medals and trophies and first place in each event was awarded a scholarship to Northeastern.

SCTC Welding Technology students took home three medals in two of the three events; In the Shielded Metal Arc Welding contest, Edward McClain won third place. In the Oxy Fuel Cutting contest, Brekken Jordan was the first place winner while Caden Bailey took third place.

Brent Trankler, SCTC welding instructor, competed in three different events; Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Combination Welding, and Oxy Fuel Cutting.

"All the students came out of this with a positive experience, it was challenging contest that really pushed their limits as welders. To see the students be so successful in a contest of this magnitude is really gratifying and it really helps to ensure us as instructors that we are teaching our students the correct things to be successful in their technical fields," Trankler said.