Students to compete in welding challenge Friday

By BRYAN HELLIOS

bhellios@yourdailyglobe.comß

Ironwood - High school welding students from Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties are competing in the 2019 U.P. Welding Skills Challenge held at Northern Michigan University on Friday.

The competition gives the students a chance to "show their stuff" said Mike Lutz, welding instructor with the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District.

Top welding students from across the U.P. will be required to interpret prints and fabricate an item using multiple processes, he said.

Student's welds are judged according to weld preparation and the overall appearance of the weld, he added.

"Set up is 90% of welding," Lutz said.

Attending the last four year's competitions, the instructor said the event expands and builds networks among other U.P. schools.

"It's fun and the kids get a day away from school," he said.

Ladd Honkala, a senior at Ironwood, said he is excited about the welding challenge. He plans on pursing welding as a career and said he looks forward to the trip to NMU.

"I'm going to Northern for welding next year," he said.

Honkala said his passion for the craft developed soon after taking his first welding class.

"It's interesting, hard, frustrating, but its fun at the same time," he said while grinning.

Lutz said the high school welding program prepares students to enter the workforce.

"I know companies that will hire my Career Technical Education students right out of welding class," he said.

With local companies looking for welders, Lutz said the job market in the welding trade is strong.

"We need welders all over the county," he said.