Honors earned by seven Monroe County Community College welding students

The Monroe News
·2 min read
Taking part in the SkillsUSA Competition from Monroe County Community College were (from left): Evan Wiefaert, Troy Salenbien, Jeron Tackacs, Kevin St. Bernard, Wyatt Larrow, Tye Mandel and instructor Stephen Hasselbach. Student Grant Maxfield is not shown.
Taking part in the SkillsUSA Competition from Monroe County Community College were (from left): Evan Wiefaert, Troy Salenbien, Jeron Tackacs, Kevin St. Bernard, Wyatt Larrow, Tye Mandel and instructor Stephen Hasselbach. Student Grant Maxfield is not shown.

Monroe County Community College welding students earned honors at the recent statewide SkillsUSA Competition at Washtenaw Community College.

The students earned seven medals:

  • Jeron Takacs of Trenton earned Gold for his performance in the Overall Welding - Post-Secondary Category.

“Overall is the most rigorous of the welding competitions because it includes GMAW, GTAW, SMAW and OFC processes across multiple projects,” MCCC said. Takacs is completing his second semester enrolled in the Welding Technology AAS Degree Program.

  • Wyatt Larrow of Erie earned Bronze for his performance in the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) – Post-Secondary Category. Larrow is completing his second semester in the MCCC Basic Welding Certificate Program.

  • Grant Maxfield of Trenton earned Silver for his performance in the SMAW-CPS Category. Maxfield is completing his second semester in the Welding Technology AAS Degree Program.

  • Kevin St. Bernard, Newport earned Gold for his performance in the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) – Post-Secondary Category. St. Bernard is nearing graduation of the Welding Technology AAS Degree Program.

  • Tye Mandel of Erie earned Bronze for his performance in the Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) – Post-Secondary Category. Mandel is completing his second semester of the MCCC Basic Welding Certificate Program.

  • Evan Wielfaert of Britton earned Silver for his performance in Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) – Post-Secondary Category. Wielfaert is completing his second semester in the Welding Technology AAS Degree Program.

  • Troy Salenbien of Dundee earned Gold for his performance in GMAW-CPS category. Salenbien is completing his second semester in the Welding Technology AAS Degree Program.

“Each April, approximately 500 business and industry leaders coordinate nearly 80 skill and leadership contests for the 1,500 students members from across the state in the annual SkillsUSA Competition, a national, non-profit national partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce, preparing students for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations,” MCCC said. “The students in MCCC’s Welding Technology Program competed once again this year at Washtenaw Community College with great success. Stephen Hasselbach, MCCC welding instructor, works with the students each year to prepare them for the competition, in addition to his regular teaching responsibilities.”

Each student competitor submitted a resume, took a written exam and then moved to the welding lab to complete the projects within the time limit.

Winners were announced at the annual statewide Leadership & Skills Conference the following week.

Student participation in Skills USA and attendance at the statewide Leadership & Skills Conference is made possible in part by funding from donors to The Foundation at Monroe County Community College.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Seven MCCC welding students earn honors