On March 21-22, 2025, “Best Young Welder of PG 2025” National Competition was held at “MTG Dolphin” PLC industrial company. 22 students from 11 vocational high schools from all over the country took part in the competition. They were placed in a real competitive environment and demonstrated their acquired knowledge and practical skills.
The competition was held for the fourth consecutive year under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Science and with the assistance of the Bulgarian Welding Union.
Co-organizer and host of the contest was the company “MTG Dolphin” PLC: https://mtgdolphin.bg/en/home/
The event was opened, and the participants and their teachers were greeted by the Secretary General of BWS, eng. Pavel Popgeorgiev, Ms. Rositsa Ilieva, representative of the Ministry of Education and deputy prime minister of education Tania Mihailova.
Students and teachers from the following successfully ranked vocational high schools took part in the competition
1. PGMEE, Burgas
2. PG “Acad. S.P.Korolev”, Dupnitsa
3. PG, Sandanski
4. PTG N. Vaptzarov, Vratsa
5. PTG “Vasil Levski”, Gorna Oryahovitsa
6. VET “St. Dimitar Solunski”, Beloslav
7. PG “Stefan Karadzha”, Elhovo
8. PTG “Ivan Raynov”, Yambol
9. PGT Burov, Ruse
10. PZHPT Marie Curie, Pernik
11. PGMET “Hristo Smirnenski”, Knezha
The competition was held in 2 categories:
I. Welding skills competition
1. Manual electric arc welding MMA – process 111;
2. Electric arc welding in a protective gas environment with a melting metal electrode MIG/MAG – process 135.
II. Presentation of welded artistic composition on a pre-announced theme.
At the first stage, the overall performance of the students was evaluated according to a point system, pre-defined and approved criteria, among which: compliance with safety at work, maintenance of the workplace, correct welding of welding samples, welding technique and quality.
Awarded according to the respective methods were:
Process 135
1st place Kristian Danaelov Mitrev – XI class, PGMEE, Burgas
2nd place Hassan Mustafa Hassan – XII class, PGMEE, Burgas
3rd place Dimitar Todorov Ivanov – X class, PTG N. Vaptzarov, Vratsa
Process 111
1st place: Tonio Vildanov Aladzov – XI grade, PGMET “Hristo Smirnenski”, Knezha
2nd place: Archangel Yordanov Minkov – X grade, PGT Burov, Ruse
3rd place Martin Nedev Nedev – XI class, PTG “Ivan Raynov”, Yambol
At the second stage of the competition, the students presented to the jury and their peers their welded artistic compositions on the topic:
“BIODIVERSITY”
The compositions were evaluated according to criteria such as: compatibility with the announced theme, strength and functionality, presentation.
Ranking in this discipline:
1st place of the team from PZHPT Marie Curie, Pernik
2nd place PTG N. Vaptzarov, Vratsa
3rd place PG “St. D. Solunski” Beloslav
Dr. eng. Svetlana Boshnakova informed the attendees that the presented works will be shaped by a BWS team in a short presentation and will be presented for participation in an international exhibition of welding compositions within the framework of the annual forum of the International Institute of Welding IIW in Genoa.
You can see the presentation HERE
The competition “Young welder from vocational high schools 2025” ended with a lot of excitement and positive emotions.
Organizers of the series of events related to the motivation and raising the prestige of the welder’s profession are: Bulgarian Welding Society (BWS) and Bulgarian Welding Coordinators’ Organization /BOKZ/.
The main objectives of the competitions for young welders are:
Comparing the professional level of welding learners
Exchange of useful experience among students
Making contacts with experts and companies from the industrial branch useful for the future implementation and development of the students;
Effective increase of personal professional motivation, as well as the level of welding training and practical skills;
Increasing the prestige of the “welder” profession in Bulgaria.
A short film can be seen on this address https://bntnews.bg/news/vav-varna-se-provede-shestoto-nacionalno-sastezanie-nai-dobar-mlad-zavarchik-1331884news.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawKnYC1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBsWlZSY3U4NzVzUmRFRm1CAR54sVbIIbOTeHspuRBdHmNgn3L4zdhN1R9AM_VnJ8CeVqnssBDMmsAcx4-UCA_aem_SeNQLb7LrsOaB0AEGDab9w