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MILLER PROVIDES $40,000 SCHOLARSHIP TO U.S. OPEN WELD TRIALS WINNER
Miller Electric Mfg. Co. has awarded a $40,000, four-year scholarship to SkillsUSA member Joel Stanley II for winning the U.S. Open Weld Trials in Dallas, April 25 - 28. Stanley, who attends Northern Penobscot Tech in Maine, went on to represent the United States at the World Skills Competition in Helsinki, Finland, receiving fifth place. The scholarship is awarded through the AWS Foundation. The five other U.S. Open Weld Trials competitors received a $1,000 scholarship, also sponsored by Miller and awarded through the AWS Foundation.
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| Joel Stanley II, seated, won the U.S. Open Weld Trials in Dallas. He is shown while training at Miller with (L-R) former U.S. Open Trial winners Robert Pope and Ray Connolly; Ed Bohnart, Chair of the AWS Skills Competition Committee and USA Welding Expert for World Skills Competition; and former Trial winners Nick Peterson (now a Miller district manager), Dien Tran and Brandon Muelbrandt. Miller training manager Dave Heidemann, not shown, also provided training advice and support. |
"By supporting SkillsUSA with scholarships and equipment awards, Miller encourages more young people to explore a rewarding career in welding," says Terri Barry, Miller public relations manager. To prepare for the event, Stanley (as well as the other competitors) worked with five former Trials winners at Miller's Appleton headquarters in April 2005 (see photo) to hone their skills.
SkillsUSA (skillsusa.org) is the national organization for students in trade, industrial, technical and health occupations education. It sponsors the annual championships to recognize the achievements of vocational students and to encourage them to strive for excellence and pride in their chosen occupations. Each contestant in Dallas moved through workstations that tested various aspects of welding, including the oxy-fuel, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW and SMAW processes, as well as identifying weld discontinuities and non-destructive testing.
Ed Bohnart, Chair of the AWS Skills Competition Committee and USA Welding Expert for World Skills Competition, says, "Joel Stanley had great welding ability, self confidence and the ability to pace himself to best utilize the complete 22 hours of the contest. He represented himself, his school, state, and the United States extremely well in Helsinki."
With headquarters in Appleton, Wis., Miller Electric Mfg. Co. is a leading worldwide manufacturer of Miller and Hobart brand arc welding equipment and related systems for metalworking, construction, maintenance and other applications. Miller Electric is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW), Glenview, Ill. ITW is a diversified multinational manufacturer of highly engineered components, assemblies and systems.
