TCAT welding student Tim Wintjen won second place at the 8th annual American Welding Society (AWS) Welding Competition for the Chattanooga section. The mission of AWS is to advance science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide.

Tim competed with sixty other students and apprentices. He earned his 4G Overhead AWS certification and a cash prize of $75 at the competition. He is currently in his second semester of the welding technology program while co-oping at Roadtec.

Welding Instructor Garry Holland says, “Tim is a great student. Tim said that he didn’t expect to place as one of the top three contestants and would have been happy just with his certification. I am very proud of him and all the hard work that he put into this competition.”

More than 397,000 people are employed as welders nationwide. Welding careers are expected to grow four percent through 2024 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics job outlook. For more information about the welding program at ChattState contact Tennessee College of Applied Technology at 423-697-4433 or www.chattanoogastate.edu/tcat.