Roane State Community College

July 13, 2023

By Deborah Robbins
Roane State staff writer

Four Roane State students competed in the largest showcase of skilled trades in the country and brought home major awards in their respective career fields.

RSCC Mechatronics students Gabriel Eady and Derek Summers received gold medals in the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference’s mechatronics competition. Students Daniel Gillette and Christian Farmer took home bronze medals in the conference’s robotics and automation competition.

This is the first time Roane State students have placed in the national competition since RSCC began competing two years ago.

Held in Atlanta June 19-23, the conference brought together thousands of students, instructors, and business partners from across the country to celebrate the accomplishments of those preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. The conference was also an opportunity for students to showcase their talents and skills on a national stage through some friendly competition.

“The idea of competing at a national level is something that I didn’t really think I’d get the chance to ever do,” said Gabriel Eady. “But then to get to compete against people from across the nation and then winning. It’s something that has taken a while to set in.”

Competing as two-person teams, Eady and Summers were put to the test in a timed competition against 15 other post-secondary institutions to build and program a machine capable of high-volume manufacturing.

Guilherme Garcia, Roane State’s Assistant Professor of Mechatronics, had been preparing the students since last fall with a unique competitive edge. He trained them to analyze the task, create a plan on how to best solve the problem, and split the job between the two of them.

“I think that job split was our main advantage between everybody,” said Garcia. “We could split the tasks, and we had a very clear path on how we were going to achieve. Whenever they finished building the machine, everything aligned perfectly. They finished at the same time and it worked out well.”

This strategy helped Eady and Summers secure the gold by completing the machine build in approximately two hours out of the eight hours allotted for the teams.

“When we got there, we saw that it was all equipment we had trained on before,” said Eady. “There were a couple curveballs, but it wasn’t anything we couldn’t handle. It was really cool to get to stand up there [on the podium] to accept our medals and be caught up in the excitement.”

Meanwhile, Gillette and Farmer had to complete a robotics and automation task assigned to them by the judges. They had to program and wire a robot, while leveraging special sensors and vision equipment to sort materials on a conveyor belt using a robotic arm.

After passing a paper test, they were given instructions and a chance to familiarize themselves with the robotics machine at the competition. However, this was their first interaction with this particular machine, as they only had simulations to guide them.

“Those guys had never seen the machine before at the competition,” said Garcia. “For them to get third place, and never see the machine before, is truly impressive.”

Global automotive manufacturer Denso Corporation partnered with Roane State to offer the students critical internship experience. These opportunities allowed the students additional hands-on training, while at the same time completing their Roane State curriculum.

“I think Denso was the key in what really put us above the rest of the competitors,” said Eady. “Getting to be in the field and working on real machines and seeing real processes gave us great experience and confidence in our own abilities to apply them. It’s a major help.”

“For the last two years, Denso has been working with us in this partnership,” said Garcia. “They ask us ‘what do the students need to learn more?’ and they deliver with additional courses and trainings. Our students were able to get their experience by working hand-in-hand with Denso.”

Three of the four students have since accepted job offers at Denso.

“To win the national competition is proof that partnerships with industries can supplement what we’re teaching in the classroom,” said Garcia.

The four students qualified for the national competition after winning gold within their respective categories at the SkillsUSA State Championships held in Chattanooga last April.

Eady and Summers are now eligible to compete on the international stage at the World Skills Competition in Lyon, France, in September 2024.

Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field that prepares students for the technology-driven manufacturing careers of today. By learning skills like computer programming, hydraulics, pneumatics, automation, and robotics, students are prepared to operate, maintain, and repair automated manufacturing systems – a highly sought-after skill set by manufacturers.

Roane State’s mechatronics program has a 100% job placement rate.

To learn more about Roane State’s Mechatronics Middle College program for high school students, visit roanestate.edu/mcm.

For more information about Roane State’s general mechatronics program, visit roanestate.edu/mechatronics.