Eveleth, MN – Minnesota North College’s Eveleth Campus was honored to host the American Welding Society’s (AWS) “Behind the Mask” Competition last week, which brought together some of the most skilled welders from across the region.

The competition challenged participants to showcase their welding skills in a variety of different tasks, ranging from welding intricate pieces of metal together to completing complex structural projects. Competitors were judged on a variety of different criteria, including their precision, speed, and attention to detail.

“The AWS ‘Behind the Mask’ Competition is a great opportunity for welders to showcase their skills and to connect with others in the industry,” said Jessalyn Sabin, Dean of Career and Technical Education for Minnesota North College. “We were thrilled to host the event at our Eveleth Campus, which has a long-standing tradition of excellence in welding education.”

The competition drew participants from all across the region, including several welding students from Minnesota North College’s own welding program. The event was also attended by representatives from a variety of different welding companies and organizations, who were on hand to offer advice and support to the competitors.

At the end of the competition, the top performers were recognized with scholarships they are:

Ryan Nick
Minnesota North College – Instructor Ryan Dall
FCAW – 1^st place

Austin Brinker
Northwoods Technical College – Instructor Aleasha Hladilek
FCAW – 2cd Place

The scholarships were from District 15 of the American Welding Society (AWS) and were presented by the Arrowhead Section.

In addition, many of the participants expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to showcase their skills and to connect with others in the welding community. “The AWS ‘Behind the Mask’ Competition is a great way for welders to push themselves and to showcase their abilities,” said Ryan Nick, one of the participants and scholarship winners. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to compete, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for me in this field.”