SCRS to Host Welding and Refinishing Competition at The SEMA Show

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists invites SEMA Show attendees to step up, show their skills, and compete for their local schools at the 2025 SEMA Show. 

From November 4-6, visitors to the SCRS booth, located in the Upper South Hall at Booth #31147, can take part in a fully immersive welding and refinishing competition powered by Skillveri’s cutting-edge augmented and extended reality training technology.  
 
Competitions will run daily from 9:30–11:30 a.m. and 1:00–4:30 p.m., with winners announced via SCRS’ Facebook Live on Friday, November 7, at 11:30 a.m. 

Attendees can claim the title of "Best Welder" or "Best Refinisher" of the week, but the real winners are local trade schools. Each finalist will win the chance to direct a prize package —donated by Skillveri, Southern California Collision Equipment (SCCE), Milwaukee Tool, and others— to a collision repair school program of their choice.  
 
Prizes include:  

• 1st Place (Welding & Refinishing): Lifetime Skillveri VR/MR license with full hardware kit, valued at $25,000. 

• 2nd Place (Welding & Refinishing): 1-year Skillveri license with hardware kit, valued at $5,500, plus a Fronius Fortis 270 C MIG/MAG welding machine, valued at about $6,000 and provided by SCCE. 

• 3rd Place (Welding & Refinishing): Skillveri Fundamentals license, valued at $3,500 value, plus a premium Milwaukee Tool kit valued at approximately $6,000. 

In total, six finalists will earn prize packages for the school of their choice, and also receive a Full Series Pass to the 2026 SEMA Show. Competitors must be present to participate, but do not need to be present when winners are announced. Official contest rules can be found on the SCRS website here. 
 
"This is more than a competition — it’s a way for our industry to give back," said Aaron Schulenburg, SCRS executive director. "We’re using the platform of the SEMA Show to showcase technical skillsets, inspire new interest in the collision repair trade, and most importantly, support the schools and students that represent the future of this industry.” 
 
Skillveri will oversee competition scoring and finalist selection. Students, instructors, and collision repair professionals are encouraged to participate or to rally peers and vendors from their region to compete on their behalf.  
 
Associations are encouraged to make sure their regions are well-represented in this nationwide opportunity to bring home the title, and the equipment for your regional education programs.