SkillsUSA held a competition where winners from one team will head to the state competition with hopes of reaching nationals.
BETHLEHEM, PA – Northampton Community College (NCC) hosted the SkillsUSA Welding Fabrication Competition at its Bethlehem campus on January 13. The competition, hosted at the College for the first time this year, is one of 62 contests in a variety of career and technical fields. Contests run the gamut from culinary and cosmetology to automotive and welding, and they are created and judged by industry professionals.
The welding fabrication competition consisted of a written test portion and a hands-on portion where five teams consisting of three students each were given blueprints and information to build a tow hitch carrier in four hours. The goal was to make it a usable product at the end of the competition.
The students represented Bethlehem Vocational Technical School (BAVTS), Lehigh Career & Technical Institute (LCTI), Career Institute of Technology (CIT), Monroe Career & Technical Institute (MCTI), and Upper Bucks County Technical School.
“It’s a chance for these high school students to showcase their skills,” says Andy Hammer, Executive Director SkillsUSA Council.
Upper Bucks County Technical School’s Benjamin Kaczinski, Jayce Teman, and Coulton Meier took home medals and will be headed to states as the winners of this stage of the competition. If they do well there, they’ll head to the national conference in Atlanta, GA in June 2026.
“It’s important to bring in students to show them what NCC could offer. For example, we’re one of the few who have a robotic welder on the east coast,” says Associate Dean, Automotive, Industry & Manufacturing, Ken Nasatka. “We also partner with many of the schools to offer college credit for coursework completed upon their graduation.”
The remaining contests will be held on February 4, in part, at Agriculture Hall (Ag Hall) in Allentown, with a few being held at NCC. Follow along with all things SkillsUSA at https://www.skillsusa.org/.
About Northampton Community College
With an enduring commitment to the regional communities it serves and a focus on student success, Northampton Community College is an educational institution of extraordinary distinction, earning accolades at the state and national levels for innovative programs, outstanding faculty, and impressive student achievements. It counts among its successful alumni a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner and an Academy Award winning director, as well as a host of CEOs, presidents, and leaders of business and industry. Today, Northampton Community College has locations in Bethlehem, Southside Bethlehem, and Monroe County, serving 30,000 students annually from 53 counties, 42 countries, and 25 states. For more information or to apply, please visit northampton.edu. Follow NCC on LinkedIn, Instagram @NorthamptonCommCollege, TikTok @NorthamptonCC, and Facebook.
