Scholarships to be awarded at PUMA SteelDay welding competition

CHEYENNE, Wyoming – In celebration of the U.S. structural steel industry, PUMA Steel will host a SteelDays event at 10 a.m. Oct. 24 at 1720 Pacific Ave. in Cheyenne. The event is free and open to the public, and lunch will be provided.

Championed by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), along with its members and partners, SteelDays is the structural steel industry’s largest educational and networking function. Each year, SteelDays offers free events to showcase how the industry contributes to building America.

As part of the event, PUMA Steel will host a welding competition for high school students. The Laramie County Community College Welding Department and the Trades & Technical Studies Pathway will welcome more than 150 high school juniors and seniors to the Cheyenne campus for the preliminary round of the competition on Oct. 23. Students from across the region will compete in LCCC’s welding shop and interact with college welding instructors. Judging for the preliminary round will be conducted by welding professionals from local and national organizations.

At the conclusion of the final competition on Oct. 24, Congresswoman Harriet Hageman will present 40 academic scholarships, including three first-place scholarships of $5,000 each and a 2,000-watt gas-powered welding machine. Scholarships may be used to help students attend welding programs at the school of their choice. Scholarships and additional prizes are provided through the generous support of businesses and industry across the Rocky Mountain region and reflect the growing demand for trained welders to fill well-paying, highly skilled, in-demand jobs across the construction industry.

Lincoln Electric is expected to be on hand with one of its Virtual Welding Simulators, offering attendees the opportunity to experience welding firsthand. (Subject to confirmation from Lincoln Electric.)

For more information about the event, visit pumasteel.com/2025steeldays.

About PUMA Steel

A leader in steel fabrication for Colorado, Wyoming, and the western United States, PUMA Steel offers structural and miscellaneous steel fabrication to contractors who value high quality, exceptional customer service, product excellence, technical innovation, a focus on safety, and unparalleled efficiency. Learn more at pumasteel.com.

About Laramie County Community College

Established in 1968, Laramie County Community College is a full-service, comprehensive community college with campuses in Cheyenne and Laramie. The college provides a wide range of academic, career/technical, and community education programs. Visit lccc.wy.edu for more information.

About the American Institute of Steel Construction

The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), a not-for-profit technical institute supported by the steel industry, partners with the architecture, engineering, and construction community to develop safe and efficient steel specifications and codes while driving innovation to make steel the most sustainable, economical, and resilient structural material. Since 1921, AISC has been a trusted resource for information and guidance on the design and construction of domestically fabricated structural steel buildings and bridges. Visit aisc.org to learn more.