(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – Luke Holtman said he likes to build things.
After visiting his cousin in Snyder who was making knives, Holtman decided to enroll in a welding class at Springtown High School. He is now expanding his knowledge by studying for a certificate of completion in Welding Technology at Texas State Technical College.
“I expected our class to be smaller than it actually is, but it is good to have that one-on-one connection with the instructors,” he said.
Leroy Brigman, a Welding Technology instructor, sees quality in Holtman’s work.
“He has a lot of attention to detail,” Brigman said. “His background shows because he is ahead of many of our students. With that, he is always willing to help.”
Holtman’s ability to work on projects led his instructors to ask him to work on a special project.
“We wanted him to build a scarecrow for Halloween,” Brigman said. “We knew he would put a lot of effort into it.”
Holtman said once it was completed, he was asked to name it.
“I decided on Dirty Steve because that was my father’s nickname,” he said. “I thought it was fitting because welders get dirty on the job.”
That project led to an additional request from his instructors. Holtman will be one of five Welding Technology students representing Breckenridge at the 2025 SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary Leadership and Skills Conference in Corpus Christi to be held April 2-5.
“I have not done a lot of competitions before, so this will be exciting,” he said. “It is good to see Breckenridge have representation in the SkillsUSA event.”
SkillsUSA is a professional organization focused on employability, leadership and technical skills that can help college students pursue successful careers and be part of a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA has more than 100 categories in which students can compete, from 3D Visualization and Animation to Welding Sculpture.
One reason that the instructors wanted Holtman to compete was because of his plan to work in the fabrication field.
“I have always liked to build things, so it is natural to want to work in fabrication,” Holtman said. “I like to see the finished product.”
According to onetonline.org, welders can earn a yearly median salary of more than $48,000 in Texas. Welding jobs were expected to increase 23% between 2020 and 2030 in the state, according to the website.
Welding Technology is one of nine programs at TSTC that have money-back guarantees. For more information, visit tstc.edu/mbg.
To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.
