CCC&TI students take victories at SkillsUSA State Champinonships

Shelby Powell, News-Topic, Lenoir, N.C.
·2 min read

May 23—CALDWELL COUNTY — Workforce development nonprofit SkillsUSA held the North Carolina State Championships between April 23 and 25 in preparation for the national championships to be held this June. Several CCC&TI students participated in and claimed victories during the championships in Greensboro.

The conference, the largest showcase of Career and Technical Education in the state, was held in the Koury Convention Center, according to a press release from CCC&Ti. The competition drew nearly 3,000 students to compete in over 130 contests spanning 95 trade areas, including construction, automotive, welding drafting, public safety, culinary and cosmetology, according to the release.

The winning students include:

Thomas Manning and Bradley Russell, First Place in Mobile Robotics

Alex Cassavaugh, Third Place in Welding

Luis Batz-Luna, Fourth Place in Automotive Refinishing Technology

Dual Enrolled High School Student Atlas Pritchard, Third Place in CNC 3-Axis Milling

Dual Enrolled High School Student Ryan Seagroatt, Fourth Place in CNC 3-Axis Milling Competition

Ebbon Cook, Fifth Place in CNC 3-Axis Milling Competition

"These students and other students from across the state worked against the clock and each other," said the release, "proving their expertise in their chosen occupations. All contests are run with the help of industry, trade associations and technical experts and test competencies that are set by industry. In addition, leadership contestants demonstrated their skills, which included extemporaneous speaking and conducting meetings with parliamentary procedure."

First, second and third place winners received gold, silver and bronze medallions. Some students also won prizes or scholarships for their efforts. First place state winners will have the chance to compete nationally in Atlanta, Georgia, in June, according to the SkillsUSA website.

SkillsUSA hosts these competitions for its member middle, high school and college students as part of its objective of preparing young people to enter the workforce.

"SkillsUSA (formerly known as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America or V.I.C.A.) is a national partnership of students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce by providing students with the opportunities to gain personal skills, workplace skills, and technical skills grounded in academics. SkillsUSA chapters help students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations excel. SkillsUSA has more than 380,000 student and instructor members throughout the nation," according to the press release.

More information can be found at SkillsUSAnc.org.