CABOCES Students Competed in AWS Welding Competition
By Jessica Schultz
Knowing a trade is like knowing an art. The ability to manipulate, create, design and fix are not just side projects, most are necessary skills for daily life. CABOCES doesn’t just instill a set of skills in their students, it helps them go into the world with the ability to begin an actual career right out of high school. You can see how amazing these abilities are just by checking out some of the students when they compete at a state level.
The Villager had the opportunity speak with CABOCES Welding Teacher Robert Poole on the recent American Welding Society welding competition that many of his students participated in and what it meant for them.
The Villager (V): Can you explain what the competition was about?
Robert (R): “The AWS (American Welding Society) welding competition was held on Saturday Mar. 26th at the Northland Training Facility Buffalo Campus in collaboration with Alfred College. The Competition was hosted by the AWS Niagara Frontier Section in collaboration with several industry leading sponsors from Dyanabrade inc. a local manufacturer of high-quality air tools used in the trade right down to the Buffalo Sabres! The AWS Niagara Frontier Section currently serves 308 members across the following area: in New York it includes Niagara, Erie, Wyoming, Genesee, Orleans, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Allegany Counties. Student participants were draw from all these areas and invited to compete. Students from our center also participate in The Skills USA competition that is a national vocational school competition where students compete at a local, regional, national, and international competitions showcasing their talents across a wide range of skill sets ranging from Culinary Arts to Metal Sculpture.”
V: How many students did you have participating, what did they compete in and how did they do?
R: “I had five students attend the AWS completion on march 26th., three Seniors and 2 Juniors. at the end of the competition there were 6 prizes awarded total, 1st., 2and. and 3rd place for The Juniors and the same for the Seniors. Of these spots two were awarded to students from the Ellicottville CTE BOCES welding class. The Senior Competitor that took 2nd place overall was a Ms. Jeannette Grizer from the Pioneer Central School District and the Junior welder that took 3rd place overall was Tyler Gibas a student from the Franklinville School district. The Ellicottville BOCES Welding and Fabrication Program was well represented indeed!”
V: What credentials will your students take away from your class?
R: “These students upon successful graduation will be presented with an AWS Sense Level one certification credential that will indeed help them to begin a successful career path.”
V: How do you feel that trade school impacts a student’s efficiency in the real world?
R: “The actual welding tests that must be passed, both written and practical are a mirror of those given in industry for an entry level welding job. So, the students leave CABOCES ready and able to take those tests with confidence. I, myself graduated this program in 1982 and have made a good living with it as a foundation in my 40-year career. All the classes that are offered at the various CABOCES centers do the same to prepare our youth for entering their respective fields in the actual industry”
V: Anything else to add?
R: “I am especially proud of these students for displaying a willingness to compete against others in their age group and I applaud their efforts and their dedication to the program in general. it’s not necessarily easy and I hold these students to a higher standard mirroring those that are the acceptable industry standard.”
Thank you, Robert, for taking the time to speak with us and a huge congratulations to all the students who participated in the competition. Also, thank you to CABOCES for helping the children of our communities prepare for life outside of the school room.