Saint Paul College recently hosted the annual Behind the Mask statewide welding competition; over 200 students, faculty, industry welders, and employers attended the event. SPC had six welding students participate, including Elijah Moua, who received 2^nd place in one of the welding competitions. Sponsors included Lincoln Electric, Hartzell Aerospace Welding, Oxygen Services, and local welding employers like Caterpillar, recruiting trade and tech students on-campus during the event.

2021 SPC Welding alum Ashley Stavsvick was excited to return to campus and represent her employer, Johnson Screens. She recalls being initially intimidated on the SPC campus but quickly realizing that the atmosphere was intimate and friendly. It was exciting for Ashley to reconnect with past instructors and meet many welding students. Ashley shared how she began work at Johnson Screens during her last year of school at a pay rate of $19.50 per hour, which has now quickly grown to $31.00/hr. Johnson Screens is a leading international provider of custom and standard screens, with an office in nearby New Brighton that continues to draw upon SPC’s welding students who learn essential welding skills, including TIG, MIG, and STICK welding with mild steel, aluminum, and stainless steel on various thicknesses.

Braden Shelton was another SPC Welding alum who volunteered at Behind the Mask as an Events Coordinator. He was excited that his employer, Hartzell Aerospace Welding, sponsored the event and contributed a $500 prize for the winner of the Razorblade Competition. Braden also enjoyed meeting SPC instructors and the many excited welding professionals from MN and WI.

The SPC Welding Program has earned a strong reputation for preparing welders for productive careers in Aerospace, Construction Equipment, Bridges and Buildings, Industrial Machinery, Vehicle Components, Pipelines and Refineries, and more.