Welding their way to victory: MTI’s SkillsUSA winners include female welding team

BRADENTON — They’re not your usual threesome.

The Manatee Technical Institute welding students are women. And this week the trio netted a first-place prize during the 43rd FL-SkillsUSA Conference.

Brenda Cook, 54; Amber Murphy, 22; and Heidi Parson, 54, created metal artwork featuring maps of the United States, Florida and Manatee County using their welding skills. They brought home a gold medal during the three-day conference at the Manatee Civic Center.

Cook and Parson, both from Sarasota, got the idea to create the display back in November.

“We were looking for a house here and got the idea from Google Earth,” Parson said Friday. “We’re both displaced workers who were laid off from our jobs in Kentucky.”

Because they grew up here, they moved home and as they were searching for a house online, they came up with their design.

“I never even imagined we’d be in the competition, but the fact we won is awesome,” said Cook.

Cook and Parson said they entered MTI’s welding program last fall and Murphy joined soon after.

“We took her under our wing,” Parson said.

Because they are women, Cook and Parson said they get a lot of funny looks when they tell others they are aspiring welders.

“Especially at our age, they think it’s pretty wild,” Parson said.

“But, hey, there is equal opportunity for everyone. We’re not afraid of a challenge.”

After graduation, Cook and Parson plan to start up their own business creating ornamental art work.

“It’s something we’ve always wanted to do,” Parson said.

MTI spokeswoman Maura Howl said that, during the competition, 1,700 students from 77 schools across the state competed in 106 skills and leadership contests, each with two divisions (secondary and postsecondary) and some team events.

More than 200 representatives from business and industry, including the Culinary Institute of America, served as the event’s judges.

MTI won 201 medals — 119 gold, 59 silver and 23 bronze.

Its students swept the prepared speech contest with David Racke winning the gold, Teresa Kinsey the silver, and Craig Bain the bronze.

Major Appliance Technology students also netted all three medals: Eulises Delgado, gold; Steve Whelan, silver; and Michael Dunmire, bronze.

The gold medalists, as well as other qualifying students from MTI, advance to the national championships being held in Kansas City, Mo., in June.

They will represent MTI and Florida, and compete for the national title in their skill or leadership area.

Natalie Neysa Alund, Herald staff writer, can be reached at 745-7095.