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Kapolei, Hawaii – On March 28, 2025, Project MFG partnered with the Hawaii State Department of Education, Ku`i Hao, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Navy to host the Project MFG Maritime Welding Competition and Career Exploration Day at the Hawaii Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Fund in Kapolei, Hawaii. The event invited eight high schools from around the islands to showcase their skills and compete.
This collaborative effort was organized to raise awareness about the many local opportunities for well-paying careers in maritime manufacturing such as welding, machining, and logistics, and allow local companies to highlight their specific career opportunities available in the local community.
“Project MFG is more than a competition,” said Amy Moyer of Project MFG. “We use the competition to showcase the skills needed in today’s advanced manufacturing, but the competition and Project MFG Connect opens doors to even larger conversations about manufacturing with local students, industry experts, training programs, and even job opportunities.”
Career Discovery Event
Alongside the competition, the event also hosted a Project MFG Career Discovery Day, an outreach event that connected local students with industry experts and career opportunities in manufacturing. The event featured booths from companies such as CKF Industrial Contractor, Hawaiian Dredging, Hensel Phelps, Kiewit, Nordic PCL, Dewalt, Slims Power Tools, and Airgas. Participants gained valuable insights into how these companies are shaping the manufacturing landscape in Hawai‘i.
During this Discovery event, we got to launch our new Virtual Welding competition! “There’s no better way for students to discover and learn about new careers than by immersing them and giving them the closest thing to hands-on experience. To up the anti we also turned this experience into a little competition where the top 3 students here today with the highest virtual welding score will receive some cool prizes at the end!” Mick Jagears
Hawaii State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi emphasized the importance of such events saying “Providing students with real-world experience in high-demand career pathways – especially those needed here in Hawaiʻi – is essential to preparing them to be globally competitive and locally committed.”
Our Partnership with the Department of Defense’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program.
The welding competition was made possible through a collaborative effort with the Department of Defense’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program, the Hawai‘i State Department of Education, Ku`i Hao, and the participating schools.
“Ku‘i Hao is pleased to support the Project MFG Student Maritime Welding Competition, helping to expose students to opportunities that can lead careers in high-demand trades in the future,” said Jason Chung, vice president for the Military Affairs Council, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and co-chair of Ku‘i Hao. “Strengthening and expanding career pathways in advanced manufacturing is essential to fortifying the defense industrial base and ensuring Hawai‘i’s readiness in the Indo-Pacific region.”
“The Project MFG Hawaii Welding Competition is another way for HCATF to reach students interested in the trades,” said Edmund Aczon, HCATF executive director. “This competition allows the students to gain first-hand experience in a critical skill to become a millwright worker, where much of the work is in clean energy, a growing and important segment for the construction industry.”
Words from our Special Guest
The event’s keynote speaker, Captain Joe Ring, spoke passionately about the importance of manufacturing jobs to national safety and growth. He rallied the competitors, celebrating their potential as the future leaders of welding and manufacturing.
“Events like the Project MFG Discovery event is imperative for the future. We want to show potential students how challenging and rewarding manufacturing jobs are,” said Amy Moyer, of Project MFG. “Connecting young students from the local community and showcasing the exciting opportunities available right at home is an important part of our mission and one of the ways we promote the prestige of manufacturing.”
Through events like these, Project MFG continues to inspire and equip the next generation of skilled workers, and work to help shape the future of Hawaii’s workforce in the maritime manufacturing sector.
March 28th, 2025 winners:
First-Place:
Caleb Robinson
Second-Place:
Sean Ibarra
Third-place:
Alden Delos Santos
Event Photos
About Ku'i Hao
Ku‘i Hao, meaning “to forge,” is advancing Hawai‘i’s workforce by training industry-ready professionals in high-demand trades. In collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i and its Military Affairs Council, Hawai‘i Defense Alliance, University of Hawai‘i, and Hawai‘i Department of Education, Ku‘i Hao is strengthening and expanding career pathways, fortifying the defense industrial base, and securing Hawai‘i’s role in the Indo-Pacific region.
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About Hawai'i State Department of Education
The Hawai‘i State Department of Education serves 165,000 students, their families and communities across 296 schools on seven islands. Hawai‘i public schools are dedicated to fostering graduates who are both globally competitive and locally committed. We strive to inspire learning, innovation and a collective dedication to Hawai‘i’s future.
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About Hawaii Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Fund:
The Hawaii Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Fund trains the next generation of carpenters, drywallers and millwright workers across Hawaii to become polished professionals with the top talent and skills in their trade. The state-of-the-art facilities in Kapolei, have trained more than 3,000 apprentices with 70,000+ square feet of classroom, training and studio space.
about project mfg
Project MFG is a catalyst that helps elevate the next generation of highly skilled trade professionals by changing mindsets, fostering community preparedness, and challenging how the critical skills needed to succeed in modern advanced manufacturing are taught. Through single and multiple technology competitions, participants gain hands-on experience with the latest technology and support from subject matter experts
For more information about Project MFG competitions and future events, please visit projectmfg.com or contact marketing@projectmfg.com.
