Austin Engelmeyer and Lucas Melson, both students at Alexandria Technical & Community College in the Welding Technologies program and employed as welders at Felling Trailers, took part in the SkillsUSA Minnesota State Championship’s Welding competition held in April of this year. Competing against college and PSEO (post-secondary enrollment allows high school students to earn college credits while in high school) students from around Minnesota, Meslon placed first in the welding division, and Engelmeyer placed first in the high school welding division. Both students will advance to the SkillsUSA Nationals Championship in late June in Atlanta, GA.
“Winning a state level felt good and made me see that my hard work paid off. At competition I learned that keeping your cool under pressure is difficult, but it is a good quality to have.”
– Austin Engelmeyer
Competition Time
At the competition, students were assigned a weld station and handed a stack of parts and weld blueprints. Reading the prints, they were to use various forms of welding, including SMAW (stick), GMAW (mig or Wirefeed), and GTAW (tig) welding. “We were graded on weld appearance, weld size, placement, and dimesons of parts with each process being timed,” stated Engelmeyer. “Some of the weldments were very difficult and took a full hour to complete,” said Meslon. “I learned to be more calm when under pressure.” To prepare for the competition, each student worked to perfect their welding skills before the competition.
Melson has been welding since he was 15. “I took a welding class in high school. In my senior year, I took a job welding and really liked it; that’s when I decided to go to ATCC for Welding Technologies. I really enjoy welding and working on projects at home like my snowmobiles and four-wheeler,” said Lucas. When he enrolled in the Welding Technologies program, he was looking for a full-time job during school. “My instructor, Ben Myhre, recommended Felling Trailers as a good place to work, plus Felling had all the good qualities I was looking for,” said Melson. For Engelmeyer, Felling Trailers is close to home, and on his way to school, so it was a good fit. “I had heard good things about working at Felling, and I would recommend others to work here too,” stated Englemeyer.
“I was very excited to win at state. I practiced a lot before the competition and tried my best. Now it’s time to do the same for Nationals.”
– Lucas Melson
Practice Makes Perfect
Preparing for Nationals, each young man has continued to work on their welding skills. “Winning a state level felt good and made me see that my hard work paid off. At competition I learned that keeping your cool under pressure is difficult, but it is a good quality to have. When you get put on the spot during competition, you find what your weaknesses are. Winning at the state level was very exciting, and I will do my best to improve my skills before Nationals,” said Englemeyer. “I was very excited to win at state. I practiced a lot before the competition and tried my best. Now it’s time to do the same for Nationals,” said Melson.
The SkillsUSA Nationals Championship will take place in just shy of a week in Atlanta, GA. Felling Trailers wishes these two young men the best of luck in this next challenge. They are among America’s most highly skilled career and technical education students and will participate in one of the world’s largest hands-on workforce development events.
Looking to the Future
Austin’s plans for the future are to work in a fabrication shop, buy some land, and, in his free time, build and fix things in his shop, spending as much time as he can hunting and riding dirt bikes. Lucas plans to move home to Goodhue, MN (about 170 miles from Sauk Centre) after school and become a member of the Boilermakers Union. Best of luck to you, Austin Englmeyer and Lucas Melson! The Felling Trailers’ team is proud of you!
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