LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — In Arkansas, the steel industry has become one of the economy's driving forces.
According to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, the state is home to one of the largest steel-producing counties in the nation and has grown by 39% in the last 15 years.
While the industry continues to break through, there's one particular group they're looking to connect with.
"The average age of a welder is over 50 years old," American Welding Society President-elect Richard Holdren said. "This is our future [and] it's our youth that is becoming involved in welding."
"Steel Day" was all about providing avenues for younger generations. Lexicon Incorporated and the American Institute of Steel Construction offered high school and college students in central Arkansas an inside look into the world of welding.
Students gained behind-the-scenes insight and hands-on experience into how welders play a crucial role in today's society.
"The great thing about the steel industry is it has so many opportunities for young people," Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said. "You can grow with the steel industry, and it can grow with you."
Griffin and other special guests provided students with words of wisdom and motivation—showcasing how the steel industry is trying to provide inclusive opportunities for all.
For students like Isabella Mullins, "Steel Day" allowed her to explore her love of welding and the many opportunities it can provide for women.
"I love it because there aren't many women in the industry," Mullins said. "There's a stigma that only men can be in it... we learned that we get just about equal pay."
Students also participated in a scholarship contest through an immersive virtual welding exhibit provided by the American Welding Society, where they could test their skills.
Arkansas voters will see Issue 1 on their November ballot—a proposal to allow vocational-technical schools, like welding, to access scholarships and grants.
"We just want people to follow their passion and the scholarship from meeting that need, and that's changing and getting better all the time," Griffin said.
While students walked away with additional knowledge and access, the joy they experienced shined the most—showing their love for the industry.
"I feel like the welding industry is a really great place that everyone should be open to see and all that," Bologna High School Academy student Noah Selakovich said. "I really think that this is the thing for me, and it should be for y'all because there's a lot of opportunities, and everything is just amazing about it."