BTC Student Welding Fabrication Competition
March 07, 2018
FREE EVENT: Watch the sparks fly as Bellingham Technical College hosts a week-long student welding fabrication competition called Welding Fab Week, which will take place March 12-16 in BTC’s Morse Center.
For Welding Fab Week, Welding Technology program students will participate on three- to five-member teams, using scrap metal to create sculptures or creative fabrications inspired by the theme “Something for the Backyard Garden.”
This student-focused event will replace the Welding Rodeo, which had traditionally taken place over two days in mid-May with teams competing to create the best sculptures in 8 hours. The new event gives the students time to plan and implement their projects, emphasizing quality fabrication rather than speed. Groups begin fabrication on Monday, March 12, starting at 9 a.m. and finish on Friday, March 16, at 2:30 p.m. Members of the public are invited to come and watch as the sculptures are created during the event, and the final pieces will be displayed on the sidewalks around Morse Center the following week.
Auction Preview & Details: Register to Bid on Your Favorite Sculpture!
Finished sculptures and fabrications will be available for purchase by silent auction through the BTC Foundation, with bidding closing at 12 p.m. on March 23. All proceeds will continue to benefit BTC Welding students.
Interested bidders must register for the auction by emailing the BTC Foundation at foundation@btc.edu. Registered bidders will be sent auction instructions, along with photos and information on each of the sculptures, during the preview week March 17-23.
This year’s event also includes a High School Skills Challenge Day on Wednesday, March 14, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Morse Center, with competency challenges for individual welders as well as a team sculpting competition. This is open to all regional high school students. Students must sign up at www.btc.edu/skillsday by March 7. Students must sign up at www.btc.edu/skillsday by March 7. A liability waiver must be signed by student and parent (if under 18 years old). Student can’t compete without bringing a signed form: www.btc.edu/LiabilityRelease
Public Viewing
The community and campus are invited to visit Morse Center anytime between 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. each day to see what is going on, and cheer on their favorite teams. Safety glasses will be required. Visitors can bring their own, or the program will have some to loan. Earplugs are recommended.
Please note: During the week, the sculptures will be in the fabrication area of the welding shop in Morse Center. Visitors may need to wait for a viewing space to open up as there is limited access for large groups, and there will be a lot of activity going on in a small area.
About Bellingham Technical College
Bellingham Technical College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and offers seven transfer degrees such as pre-engineering, pre-nursing, computer science and business. Completion of these degrees prepares BTC students to transfer with a junior status to participating colleges and universities in Washington State. BTC offers 37 associate degree, 51 certificate options and two bachelor of applied science degrees providing professional technical education to support local and regional industry workforce needs. For more information, go to www.btc.edu.
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