Yuma, Arizona – On January 25, 2024, Weld Like a Girl hosted the Project MFG Youth Welding Challenge, providing young welders the opportunity to earn new skills and compete for prizes.
The competition, which was open to local home-school students between the ages of 8 and 18, brought in participants local to the Yuma, AZ area. In the morning, the contestants learned welding techniques from Shanen Aranmor, owner of Weld Like A Girl, and spent the afternoon fabricating and welding a custom metal doghouse sculpture to test their skill and precision.
The competition was judged by a panel of expert welders and industry professionals, who evaluated the contestants on a variety of criteria, such as the quality of their welds, the accuracy of their measurements, and their ability to follow instructions. At the end of the day, the winners were announced.
The first-place team: Adam, age 13, Henry, age 13, and Trevor, age 10
Second place team: Adaline, age 14, Kenzee, age 11, and Tate, age 10
Third place team: Abram, age 14, Eli, age 11, and Sofia, age 13
In addition to the prizes awarded to the top three teams, all the participants got to hear from industry leaders, learn new skills, and receive a gift bag from Project MFG. A special thanks to our industry speakers, Jeff Davis, from the American Welding Society and Bill Newell, from Euroweld for their engaging talks.
The projects will be displayed locally at The Yuma Art Center from January 27th through February 3rd and feature dog sculptures by local artist Mily Verdugo.
Project MFG is a national initiative that aims to close the skills gap in manufacturing by creating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience and learn from industry professionals. The Youth Welding Challenge is just one of the many programs offered by Project MFG to help students build the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the manufacturing industry. Weld Like a Girl is a Yuma-based welding school that specializes in teaching women and girls the art of welding. The school offers a variety of classes and workshops for students of all ages and skill levels. For more information about the Project MFG Youth Welding Challenge visit projectmfg.com or Weld Like a Girl, visit weldlikeagirl.us.
