Good question. College students compete in skills USA every year. I believe the prize for a state win is a new smaller mig CV welder+expense paid trip to nationals. I knew that was the prize for a state win on the high school level back in michigan.  If a competition is supported or sponsored by a manufacturer than usually the prize is a welding machine of some sort.

I didn't know there was that much interest in competition welding outside of the collegiate realm.