Ulster BOCES students compete at Project MFG’s Advanced Manufacturing Regional Competition

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PORT EWEN — A team consisting of three young professionals from the Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing program and one from the Welding & Metal Fabrication program at Ulster BOCES Career and Technical Center recently showcased their knowledge and skills at the Project MFG’s 2024 Advanced Manufacturing Regional Competition, held at Greenville Technical College.

The young professionals, who were first-time competitors in the competition, were among only 16 teams from North America to advance to the regional level. Results of the competition are anticipated in late April. The Ulster BOCES team consisted of Preston Demorest from the Rondout Valley Central School District, who attends the Ulster BOCES Welding &Metal Fabrication program, along with Ian Vickery and Micah Copeman from the Saugerties Central School District, and Griffin Bacon from the New Paltz Central School District, who attend the Ulster BOCES Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing program.

The 2024 National Advanced Manufacturing Competition is a multi-round competition that began in October of 2023. This year, 320 competitors from 80 schools representing 31 states and two Canadian provinces, registered to compete. After the initial qualifying round was judged, only 16 teams advanced to the three regional rounds, which were hosted in South Carolina, Nevada, and Texas.

Ulster BOCES Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing instructor Myles Harris and Ulster BOCES Precision Welding instructor Bryan Lundy, traveled to the competition with the team and were proud to see the young professionals immersed in the experience alongside competitors from four colleges and another high school.

“The experience has definitely helped them to grow their technical, workplace, and personal skills,” said Harris. “The team has been learning how to work efficiently, how to optimize the design programs, and the value of teamwork. It has been awesome to see.”

Judging of all 16 teams’ workmanship is currently underway and the final four competitors from all three regional competitions will face off at the 2024 Clash of Trades National Championship, to be held in Charlotte North Carolina at the Stewart Haas Racing facility on May 23, when they will battle it out over the course of four intense days of competition for a share of more than $150,000 in prizes.




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