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Annual event · Gillette, WY

2026 Western Welding Academy Welding Competition

Thank you to everyone who competed, volunteered, and showed up.

2026 welding competition

One for the books

Thank you to everyone who competed, volunteered, and showed up.

The 2026 Western Welding Academy Welding Competition was a one-day event held at our campus in Gillette, Wyoming — and it was one for the books.

The 2026 Western Welding Academy Welding Competition brought welders from across the country to Gillette, Wyoming to test their skills in a live competition setting. Competitors were judged on weld quality, technique, and time under AWS testing standards. The event drew participants from multiple states and showcased the kind of hands-on talent that pipeline and industrial employers are actively hiring for. Western Welding Academy hosts this competition each year to celebrate the craft, connect students and graduates with the welding community, and prove what real booth time training produces on test day.

Western Welding Academy students walking out to the competition

Prizes

What was on the line?

Every year, we put up real prizes for real welders. Here’s what competitors had the chance to win at the 2026 competition:

High School Division

  1. 11st PrizeScholarship
  2. 22nd Prize$15,995 in Scholarship
  3. 33rd Prize$9,995 in Scholarship

Open Division

  1. 11st Prize$10,000 Cash
  2. 22nd Prize$5,000 Cash
  3. 33rd Prize$1,000 Cash

Every high school student who competed received a $1,000 Scholarship.

Recap

See how it went down

Watch the highlights from the 2026 Western Welding Academy Welding Competition. Sparks flew, skills were tested, and the next generation of welders made their mark.

Competition day

Photos from Gillette

Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors!

2026 WWA welding competition sponsors

Compete. Train. Get certified.

Every high school competitor walks away with a scholarship. Train at WWA and make it your trade.