Jamie Saari at the 2016 SkillsUSA Welding Championship
Jamie Saari, a welding technology major from Cochise College, placed 10th in the Nation at the 2016 SkillsUSA Welding Championship this past week.
The championship showcases students’ career and technical education. More than 6,000 students from across the states competed in 100 different trade, technical and leadership fields.
As the president of the Cochise College welding club, Saari took first in the Arizona state finals earlier this spring to qualify him for the championship round.
Students competing in the welding championship were tested with a written exam, interview, shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, gas tungsten and several other welding techniques to satiate the judges. Each student tested for about 10 hours each to successfully complete the competition.
“I feel like I could have done better, you know,” Jamie explained. “I feel like Cochise College has taught me better than 10th place, but the nerves and the anxiety, and it’s hard to think straight. Plus, there were some amazing welders. Then again, I was still 10th in the nation, and I feel pretty good about that.”
Scott Brown, the Cochise College Welding Instructor, and the Cochise College SkillsUSA Welding Club Advisor, said, “The way he had been training and studying for the written exam combined with his dedication, I felt he had a great opportunity to place pretty high at the championship. There were 39 other people in his category. Tenth is a very respectable place to finish in.”
In the past, Saari worked as an information technologies installer and devoted three years to a degree in the welding program at Cochise College. Saari is now a Cochise College graduate. He completed his Associate of Applied Science degree in welding technology this past May. Since then, Saari has gained employment at Thermal Engineering of Arizona in Tucson where he works mainly on welding fabrication and stainless steel pipes.
To find out more information on the Cochise College welding technology degree contact a Cochise College advisor at (800) 966-7943.
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student to excel. SkillsUSA is a national organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations, including health occupations and further education. SkillsUSA was formerly known as VICA (the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America).