Mikala Sposito wins bronze at WorldSkills 2026, making history for U.S. welding

Mikala Sposito won bronze in welding at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, becoming the first female welding competitor to represent the United States at the event and the first female U.S. welding medalist. The result caps years of training supported by the American Welding Society and Washtenaw Community College.

Why it matters: - Mikala Sposito's bronze medal marks a milestone for U.S. welding and WorldSkills. - Sposito became the first female welding competitor to represent the United States at WorldSkills. - Sposito also became the first female U.S. welding medalist at the event. - The result spotlights skilled trades as a pathway to international competition and career opportunity.

What happened: - The American Welding Society congratulated Mikala Sposito for earning bronze in welding at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. - WorldSkills is known as the "Olympics of the Skilled Trades." - Sposito represented Team USA after advancing through a multistage selection process and years of preparation. - The competition took place in Shanghai.

The details: - AWS supported Sposito through qualifying competitions, technical training, coaching and competition preparation. - Sposito first encountered welding at age 10 during the Careers in Welding Mobile Experience at a local Maker Faire. - That introduction led her to Washtenaw Community College, national SkillsUSA competitions and WorldSkills preparation. - Sposito earned her Team USA place at the USA Weld Trials in Huntsville, Alabama, in March 2026. - She finished first among three finalists. - Benjamin Cornaby of Utah State University Eastern placed second. - CJ Parks of West Side Greers Ferry in Arkansas placed third. - The finalists advanced through AWS selection events that tested precision, safety, technical execution and craftsmanship. - The selection events required complex, multi-process welding tasks under strict time limits. - Sposito then followed a seven-month preparation schedule. - Her preparation included international competitions and training in Australia, Canada and China. - She also spent countless hours in the WCC welding lab. - AWS CEO and Executive Director Carey Chen said the medal represents what can happen when talent, opportunity and determination come together. - WorldSkills Chief Expert for Welding Ray Connolly said the competitors showed exceptional drive, work ethic, technical skill and mental resilience. - Sposito was coached by WCC welding instructor Alex Pazkowski. - Pazkowski represented the United States and WCC at the 2013 WorldSkills Competition in Leipzig, Germany, where he won silver. - WCC welding instructors Glenn Kay and Brad Clink also previously represented the United States at WorldSkills in 1997 and 2011. - AWS WSCC and the WCC team included mentors, coaches and peers who supported Sposito throughout the journey.

Between the lines: - The result underscores the pipeline effect of sustained coaching and institutional memory in skilled trades competition. - WCC's WorldSkills history appears to have played a direct role in preparing Sposito for the podium. - The achievement also broadens visibility for women in welding, a field where representation at the highest levels remains limited.

What's next: - Sposito's bronze finish adds momentum to AWS's effort to prepare U.S. competitors for future WorldSkills events. - The medal is likely to strengthen interest in welding programs, competition pathways and skilled trades recruitment. - AWS and WCC now have a new benchmark to point to in training future Team USA competitors.

The bottom line: - Sposito turned an early spark of interest into a historic WorldSkills medal, with AWS and WCC helping carry her from local exposure to the international podium. - American Welding Society