WACO (November 6, 2012)--A Welding Expo Wednesday will bring in high school students from 25 area schools to offer hands-on welding experience.

Students will represent Abbott, Bosqueville, Bruceville-Eddy, China Spring, Clifton, Hamilton, Hillsboro, Marlin, Mart, Riesel, Robinson, Teague, West and other districts across Central Texas.

The expo will get underway from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the ESC Region 12 building on Bagby Avenue.

The career showcase will promote welding as an option for not only a realistic, local career, but also a long-term and profitable career for both men and women, an event organizer said.

Students will take advantage of the opportunity to use a virtual reality welding machine, cutting tables and welding equipment as they learn about welding as a viable career path in Central Texas.

Lincoln Electric will showcase its new virtual reality welding machine and Caterpillar Industries is attending the event as a vendor to recruit future employees.

The expo is part of Generation TX’s “Rock Your Future” program.