EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — High school students from West Texas and Eastern New Mexico faced off in the 5th annual Texas High School Welding Series (TXHSWS) Build-Off and Competition to showcase how skilled trades can not only secure a career but also provide a pathway for youth who are looking for an opportunity.

The competition took place on Friday, Feb. 6, at the Sun City Welding Academy, located at 6940 Commerce Ave. Student welders in teams of two or three were placed in real-world environments, where they received project build plans the morning of the event and completed their projects under time pressure, similar to actual job-site conditions.

“This competition shows students that welding is not just a skill, it’s a career,” Scott Herndon, owner of Sun City Welding Academy, said. “These students are building something real, with real standards, and real consequences, just like they will in the workforce.”

“Yeah, it all starts from safety. You know, safety and also reading and understanding blueprints, and like you said, even maintenance on machines. You know, because they got to be able to troubleshoot. Because when these competitions, we’re not here to watch over them. We’re back there, so they got to work with each other.” Ernest Sanchez, a teacher from Gadsden High School, said about the competition.

In addition to the competition, Sun City Welding Academy held a welding introduction workshop for cadets from the El Paso County Juvenile Probation Department’s Challenge Academy.

The workshop was designed “for youth who may have faced early setbacks but are now working toward positive change,” according to the welding academy.

Cadets received hands-on instruction and even completed a welding project, showing the skilled trade can be a viable career path.

“This is about showing young people that one mistake doesn’t define their future,” Herndon said. “The trades offer structure, discipline, pride in work, and a chance to build a stable life. Welding can be that bridge.”

Welding remains one of the most in-demand and well-compensated trades, according to Sun City Welding Academy, as the skilled labor shortage continues nationwide.

In addition to the competition, the TXHSWS also hosts certification days with participating high schools across the region. From October through February, the events brought industry standards to classrooms and allowed entire welding programs the ability to gain certification access.

Additionally, Sun City Welding Academy said the events helped close the gap in education and employment, especially for students who do better in hands-on learning environments.

“By combining elite student competition with outreach to justice-involved youth, this event demonstrates how workforce development can strengthen both individual futures and the broader community,” the news release said.

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