Skills NATIVE competition announces welding winners

The Refrigeration School Inc. in Phoenix recently sponsored the annual Skills NATIVE competition, hosted by the Northeast Arizona Technological Institute of Vocational Education (NATIVE). This event invites students from high schools on the Navajo Nation to compete in a variety of skills competitions, including welding.

This year’s event included 30 competitors in welding with representatives from each of the eight participating high schools. Following are the winners in the 2024 Skills NATIVE welding categories.

Individual Weld:

• 1st place: Aden Nakai, Red Mesa High School
• 2nd Place: Ashkii Nez, Piñon High School
• 3rd Place: Wyatt James, Ganado High School

Team Weld:

• 1st Place: Red Mesa High School
• 2nd Place: Window Rock High School
• 3rd Place: Ganado High School

The purpose of the competition is to increase awareness of the skilled trades among Native American youth and create more opportunities to pursue a postsecondary career technical education.