​SkillsUSA competitions test WCCC students

Students who won in their competitions will advance to regional and state competition this spring. WCCC instructors conducted competitions in their labs with industry partners serving as judges, giving students valuable advice.

Event organizer Steve Williamson, carpentry instructor, tells more:

Q: What is SkillsUSA?

A: This is their mission statement from the website: "SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student excel. We provide educational programs, events and competitions that support career and technical education (CTE) in the nation's classrooms."

Q: What goes into planning a SkillsUSA competition?

A: The planning process starts in mid-November, lining up judges, working with the culinary students to plan the meals and working with all of the instructors in the organization of contest locations.

Q: What does a day look like for competitors during the competition?

A: As soon as students report for school that morning, they get ready for their competitions, which are held from about 8 to 10:30 a.m. Then the judges meet to tally scores and have lunch, prepared by WCCC culinary students. An awards ceremony is held from about 1 to 2 p.m., and then students are dismissed for the day.

Q: In which areas did students compete?

A: Our local competition included all students in the 17 SkillsUSA programs on the Warren County Career Center main campus and was also open to students enrolled in our satellite programs at our partner high schools. Approximately 550 total students were participating.

This year, we had students from the Little Miami Information Technology program participate. Programs that participate in SkillsUSA are: Advanced Technologies & Robotics, Aerospace Academy, Automotive Technology, Carpentry, Culinary Technology, Cosmetology, Criminal Justice, Dental Assisting, Digital Design, Electricity, Fire Science, Graphic Arts, Health Science, Heavy Equipment, HVAC Environmental Controls, Sports Medicine and Welding.

Q: What happens now for the top-placing students?

A: Some of the students will go on for regional contests, and some will go straight to state-level competitions. Those who qualify at state will go on for national competition.

There is even an international SkillsUSA competition, held every two years. WCCC has a student who won first place in 2015 at nationals, Andrew Shupert of Franklin, who has qualified for internationals this year.

Q: How does career-technical education (CTE) help prepare students for college and high-wage, high-demand career fields?

A: CTE programs give high school and adult students the ability to earn industry certifications and work force skills that lead to jobs and meaningful careers. They experience real-world job sites in their labs and in the community with area business and industry.

The students are also earning college credit in their programs, which can be used toward an associate degree at many area colleges and universities. Some technical fields only require certification, and others require higher education.

CTE students choose a career path that fits their interests and abilities and can go from entry-level employment to highly skilled positions. CTE centers such as WCCC constantly monitor workforce trends and network with area business and industry to ensure students are prepared for careers that are in demand.

This is important, because, according to the National Research Center for CTE in 2007, the more students participate in career and technical student organizations, the higher their academic motivation, academic engagement, grades, career self-efficacy, college aspirations and employability skills.

And because, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce in 2013, middle-skill jobs, jobs that require education and training beyond high school but less than a bachelor’s degree, are a significant part of the economy. Of the 55 million job openings created by 2020, 30 percent will require some college or a two-year associate degree.