FDTC Welding Students Shine at State Competition

FLORENCE, S.C. – Florence-Darlington Technical College (FDTC) had two welding students place in the 34th Annual South Carolina Technical College (SCTC) Welding Competition on Friday, April 18.

Khai Singletary secured first-place in Category 4, while Frank White achieved second place in Category 5. These categories, which focus on advanced pipe welding processes, require a minimum of five semesters of rigorous welding training to compete successfully at this level.

“The outstanding results stand as a testament to the exceptional quality of FDTC's welding program,” Welding Program Director Willis Ford said. “The success achieved by Singletary and White is a result of a collaborative effort between the FDTC Welding Department and the College’s administration, who worked tirelessly to ensure these students receive the necessary training to excel at the state and national levels.”

FDTC had six students participate in this year’s competition for the first time since 2019. This year also marked the return of the college’s Pipe Welding program. With new leadership in place, the program reopened this past year giving these students the opportunity to participate in this competition. 

Of particular note is the journey of White, whose dedication and perseverance have been truly inspiring. White, a Marion native, chose to return to college to pursue a degree in welding after working a few years as a truck driver.

“I've been just about to every state that you can name. Probably a few states that I haven't been to, of course, like Hawaii and stuff like that,” he said. “But, I've been just about every state, and, I seen a lot of things, done a lot of things, but it wasn't nothing like how welding …. welding did another something else for me.”

With that decision, he decided to return to college and pursue his passion for welding. White, who graduates in May, said the experience of coming back to college has been great and his instructors have inspired him to keep pushing forward and excelling at his trade.

“All of them. They seen something in me that I really didn't see in myself,” White said of his instructors. “They could see further than I could see. And the fact that they, they had enough faith and, and trust in me to take what they learned over the years and just impart it to me. It is, it's amazing and I appreciate them for that.”

For more information about Florence-Darlington Technical College's Welding and Pipe Welding Programs, please contact the college’s Admissions office at 843-661-8289, by text at 843-351-1940, or by email: admissions@fdtc.edu.