Rodeo Houston's industrial craft competition has taken students to lifechanging careers

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- For some high school students, it's not a scholarship from Rodeo Houston they're after. It's a six-figure job.

Though it may have looked like an ordinary Rodeo Houston competition on Saturday, it was anything but.

There were trophies, students, and judges-- but the presentations weren't about livestock.

On the second floor of NRG Arena, the students showcased their skills with metal.

"You get to learn a bunch of new stuff," Brazoswood High School student Eliazar Rubio explained. "Like how to use the pipe fitters and new welding techniques."

The industrial craft competition features nearly 20 schools with 500 students statewide.

Here's how it works. Students are shipped pieces and instructions on how to make a BBQ pit.

They work with teachers and industry experts to put them together. This weekend, they showcased their work.

It's a competition Rubio's team knows well. The group has won the past two years.

"More pressure to be more competitive," Rubio said. "That's the only way to keep on doing better is to keep on winning."

While Rubio's team has experience, the craft competition is reaching new districts. Galveston ISD's Ball High School competed for the first time this year.

"None of us have ever used the type of blueprint that they had, especially the piping, which was insane and complicated," Ball High School student Lenore Migues said.

The hard work, though, can be worth it. During the competition, teams can win awards, including grand champion.

It's about more than that. Employers are judges, and they're scouting for talent.

"If God has blessed you with the ability to connect this and these, wow, man, you've got to put it to work," Turner Industries CEO Stephen Toups explained. "Some of these men and women are going to get out of school making six figures."

Last year, 54 students got jobs from this competition. They are skilled workers the craft industry is desperately looking for.

"Those types of jobs don't normally come right out of high school," Industrial Craft Competition chairman JD Slaughter explained. "There's actually not a community college or a program for it. We created a pipeline for students to go directly into project controls."

That is why the pressure is even greater than the team trophy. Excelling during this competition could truly be life-changing.

"It does add a lot of pressure, but it's super exciting because this opportunity gives you the chance to map out your entire life," Migues said.

"It makes me feel really good," Rubio explained. "I've been wanting to be a welder since I was in eighth grade because I see they get paid good, but it's something that I like."

This is why this may look like a traditional Rodeo Houston competition, but it's something new that's providing students with career opportunities.