IGNICON The Awards

Awards / Trades and Home Services

Welding and Fabrication

Welding Wizard Award

Illustrative fictional Welding and Fabrication award recipient holding a gold IGNICON-style flame trophy; not an actual honoree
Welding Wizard Award nominee badge, illustrative sample

for welders and fabricators who hold it all together.

Notify me when entry opensNominate someone free

Nominate someone for free. To be considered by the judges, the nominee must complete a separate award entry when entry opens.

About this award

Welding Wizard Award recognizes outstanding skilled trades and building work in Welding and Fabrication, for welders and fabricators who hold it all together. One honoree is named an IGNICON of the field, chosen by an independent panel.

Who can enter?

  • Licensed or qualified tradespeople, crew leads and contractors
  • Owner-operators and small crews who can show finished jobs
  • Apprentices who have led real projects

What did they accomplish?

  • Before and after photos of completed jobs
  • Licence or certification numbers, where held
  • Client references and repeat-work history
  • Safety record, warranties or inspection sign-offs

How entering works

  1. Start free. Nominate someone using the free nomination form. Paid entry is opening soon; no payment is required to nominate.
  2. Build your entry before December 31, 2026. Entry fees are shown before you submit.
  3. Independent judging evaluates each entry against the published rubric below.
  4. Top 5 finalists are selected in each category. Winners are announced by January 31, 2027.

Optional paid extras, such as promotion or add-ons, never affect a judging score. Scores come only from the independent panel and the rubric.

Top 5 finalists

The independent panel selects five finalists in each category.

Sample 1
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Sample 5

Illustrative category artwork — not an announcement of finalists.

People’s Pick

People’s Pick celebrates audience support alongside the awards. It is separate from the independent panel’s category decision.

What judges look for

A 100-point rubric applied by an independent panel.

Illustrative fictional honoree holding a gold flame trophy; not an actual honoree
01

Impact

30pts

The difference the work has made.

Judges weigh the real difference the work has made: who benefited, how much changed, and how lasting that change is. Scale matters less than clear, credible outcomes.

Useful evidence

  • Before-and-after figures or outcomes
  • Testimonials from people served
  • Press, reports or third-party recognition
Illustrative fictional innovator with a gold trophy; not an actual honoree
02

Innovation

25pts

Original thinking and meaningful improvement.

Original thinking that meaningfully improves on what came before. Judges look for a new approach, a smarter process, or a fresh answer to a familiar problem.

Useful evidence

  • What was new and why it mattered
  • Prototypes, launches or patents
  • Comparison with the usual approach
Illustrative fictional leader with a gold trophy; not an actual honoree
03

Leadership

20pts

How the entrant has led and inspired others.

How the entrant led, inspired and developed others. Judges value decisions under pressure, people brought along, and leadership shown with or without a title.

Useful evidence

  • Teams built, mentored or rallied
  • Hard decisions and their results
  • Endorsements from colleagues
Illustrative fictional entrepreneur holding an award; not an actual honoree
04

Results and growth

15pts

Evidence of achievement and development.

Measurable achievement and development over time. Judges look for progress against goals and honest lessons learned along the way.

Useful evidence

  • Milestones, growth or revenue trends
  • Goals set and goals met
  • Skills, credentials or capacity gained
Illustrative fictional guests gathered at an awards reception
05

Community and purpose

10pts

Contribution to people and purpose.

Contribution beyond the entrant: to people, causes and the wider field. Judges look for purpose that shows up in action, not just in a mission statement.

Useful evidence

  • Volunteer, giving or outreach work
  • Partnerships with local groups
  • Access or opportunity created for others

Sharing is optional and never affects judging. Celebrate your nominee without changing their score. Social sharing, likes, votes and purchases of courses or other products do not count toward judged scores. People’s Pick is separate honorary recognition and carries no cash prize.

Include the nominee’s name and award category in your post. For Junior entries, only a parent or guardian may choose to share; the child does not need a social-media account. This is separate from written permission for IGNICON to publish a Junior profile or photo.

QR code for Welding Wizard Award

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Opens the nomination section with this award selected. Download it for event materials or share it with supporters.

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Sharing is optional and never affects judging. People’s Pick votes, likes, followers and post views do not affect the judges’ score.

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What we’re working toward

  • Pathways into work. Expand access to internships, mentoring and practical experience that can help people take their next career step.
  • A start for new ideas. Develop start-up support and funding opportunities that help aspiring founders turn an idea into a livelihood.
  • Stronger families and communities. Help people build skills, pursue meaningful work and create a more secure future for the people who depend on them.

These are planned partnership priorities, not currently funded benefits. Program details, funding allocations and eligibility will be confirmed before support is offered. Sponsorship never affects award judging.

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Eligibility, fees and deadlines

Award calendarNominations are open year-round. This category's 2027 judging-cycle entry deadline is September 30, 2027.
Top 5 finalistsFive finalists are selected in each category.
JudgingIndependent panel · published 100-point rubric
ResultsAnnounced after this category’s 2027 judging cycle.
AdultsAdults can enter themselves or be nominated. Nominating is free.
Under 18 (Junior)A parent or guardian must approve before anything about a minor is published.
Fees$25 early bird through December 5, 2026, then $35 from December 6. Nomination is free. Judging entry opens soon. Entry fee does not guarantee a win. Optional paid extras never affect judging.

Check your included benefits first. Flame entry includes a Letter of Distinction. Icon includes the letter, Spotlight Star, seven-day promotional ticker and entry advisory review when paid entry opens. Do not purchase these again if included in your entry tier.

Optional extras

Make the moment visible.

Optional, paid, and never required. Nothing here changes judging, scoring, finalist selection or People’s Pick votes. Free nomination and entry eligibility are unaffected.

Presentation upgrade · $99

Letter of Distinction

A personalized letter on IGNICON letterhead with the gold seal. $99; availability confirmed on request.

Request personalization
Paid placement · $499

Special Edition: Featured Leaders

Cover placement, about a 30-minute interview, digital issue and shareable cover. Cover features in special editions are paid placements, separate from judging, and subject to approved issue inventory.

Ask about availability
Promotion packages

Spotlight Star and nominee ticker

Planned visibility items: Spotlight Star ($19), nominee ticker ($29 for 7 days) and an entry advisory review ($49, by the IGNICON team, not judges), or all three as the Icon Boost ($79, save $18). Ask about availability; placement is not guaranteed.

Add a Letter of Distinction with Recognition ($149), or add the letter and a Special Edition cover with Spotlight ($599). Cover availability is subject to approved issue inventory. Compare the packages. Inquiries only; online checkout is not active.

Ask about availability

Included for every nominee: one year of digital access to The IGNICON Review. After that, renewal is optional at $1 per month or $10 per year—never automatically charged without consent.

Entry fees and the nominee kit are part of entry, not extras. Samples are illustrative layouts, not issued documents.

Purchases add visibility, review or feedback only. They never affect judges' scores or results.