SAVANNAH, Ga. - GeorgiaChron -- Xcel Strategies, a Savannah-based mentoring and vocational training network supporting trade education for students aged 15 to 25, is expanding its hands-on career training exhibition, the Xcel Xpo, to include its annual welding competition. Xcel also announced the launch of a Manufacturing Lab at Bethesda Academy, which opened in January 2025.

The 2025 South Georgia Xcel Xpo, presented by Vaden Chevrolet Savannah, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, March 20, at Kehoe Iron Works at Trustees' Garden, 660 E. Broughton St., Savannah.

Approximately 300 students from Chatham, Bryan, Effingham, Liberty and Bulloch counties are expected to participate in the event. Local and regional companies are setting up interactive booths that allow students to work on real-world projects and solve problems using the same tools professionals use every day. The students will learn about the growing career opportunities in skilled trades, additional mentoring that Xcel offers, and digital resume-building provided by Xcel's Career Crafter portal.

The digital resume allows Xcel directors to track students' completed mentor trainings, including life skills, job skills, and trade skills. Potential employers then have a reliable record of student achievement and education.

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The addition of the welding competition, which has been a separate Xcel program for years, is being added to the 2025 South Georgia Xpo to highlight the increased focus on fabrication and the urgent nationwide demand for properly trained welders. The opening of the lab comes on the heels of a successful 2024 that saw Xcel increase training with virtual reality tools, assisting Habitat for Humanity, and more hands-on training events than ever.

To further fire up the competitive spirit, Xcel is offering cash rewards. The winning team receives $1,000, with $500 for second place and $250 for third place. Xcel is also awarding equipment prizes for winners of individual challenges in the welding competition.

Over the years, Xcel has used customized Mobile Training Unit trailers for hands-on interactivity at their events. These include woodworking, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work. For the first time, Xcel now has a permanent vocational training location at the venerable Savannah private day school, Bethesda Academy. The manufacturing lab opened for student use in January 2025 a special announcement about its continued growth will be made at the Xpo.

"The Vocational Training Laboratory at Bethesda allows Xcel to mentor students in CNC (Computer Numerical Control) manufacturing, which can be challenging in a Mobile Training Unit because of the size of the machine and the difficulty to transport. This new endeavor provides us the chance to mentor Xcel students with larger machines and equipment moving forward," Thompson explained.