July 3, 2023
Submitted by: TBR Staff (Originally published June 28, 2023)
Career and technical education students from Tennessee colleges and other postsecondary programs won 68 medals as they demonstrated excellence in dozens of competitions at the 2023 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, bringing home more medals than any other state delegation.
The conference and its national skills competitions, held in Atlanta June 19-23, showcased career and technical education. More than 6,000 outstanding students from across the country competed hands-on in 110 different technical, trades, artistic and leadership fields – from Advertising Design to Welding. SkillsUSA Tennessee Postsecondary sent 125 student competitors from 25 schools to participate in the national event, including four students from Roane State.
The community college's Mechatronics team, made up of RSCC students Gabriel Eady and Derek Summers, earned a gold medal in their competition. Christian Farmer and Daniel Gillette, also from Roane State, brought home a bronze medal in the Robotics & Automation Technology category. RSCC Mechatronics instructor Guilherme Garcia accompanied the students to the competition.
"I am so proud of the accomplishments of Tennessee competitors at last week's SkillsUSA national conference," said Shania Willyard, director of experiential learning at the College System of Tennessee and SkillsUSA Tennessee Postsecondary state director. "The hard work and dedication of students and instructors across the state paid off as the Tennessee Postsecondary delegation brought home more medals than any other College/Postsecondary delegation in the nation."
SkillsUSA is America's champion of career and technical education and skilled trades, and is a diverse, student-led organization building the future skilled workforce with graduates prepared for rewarding careers.
SkillsUSA’s competitions test competencies in the fields and are run with the help of industry, trade associations, labor organizations and others. In addition, leadership contestants demonstrate their skills, including extemporaneous speaking and conducting meetings using parliamentary procedure. The annual conference is for middle school, high school and college-level students who are members of SkillsUSA. Students compete in their respective school levels.
Top student winners in each competition were awarded gold, silver and bronze medallions. Many also received prizes such as tools of their trade and scholarships to further their careers and education.
View the complete list of medalists from Tennessee and other states here.
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen our nation’s skilled workforce. Driven by employer demand, SkillsUSA helps students develop necessary personal and workplace skills along with technical skills grounded in academics. This SkillsUSA Framework empowers every student to succeed at work and in life, while helping to close the skills gap in which millions of positions go unfilled. Through SkillsUSA’s championships program and curricula, employers have long ensured schools are teaching relevant technical skills, and with SkillsUSA’s new credentialing process, they can now assess how ready potential employees are for the job. SkillsUSA has members nationwide in high schools, colleges and middle schools, covering over 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and is recognized by the U.S. departments of Education and Labor as integral to career and technical education. We have served 13.9 million members since 1965. For more information: SkillsUSA.org
Roane State Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity or national origin, sex, disability, age, status as protected veteran or any other class protected by Federal or State laws and regulation and by Tennessee board of Regents policies with respect to employment, programs, and activities. View full non-discrimination policy.
