SkillsUSA National Competition: Two Students from Sheridan College Rank Among the Top 10
SkillsUSA Championships Showcase Student Talent and Skills
The annual SkillsUSA Championships, a highly respected competition, recently took place in Atlanta, Georgia, attracting over 6,500 students from across the country. These contests, which cover a wide range of occupational areas, including construction, manufacturing, health sciences, and more, serve as a platform for students to demonstrate their proficiency in various vocational and technical fields.
This year, two students from Wyoming, Nolan Schaffer and Cole Schoenewald, qualified to compete at the national level after earning gold medals in the Wyoming competitions in April. Schaffer, from Ranchester, WY, placed 5th in the CNC Programmer (individual event) competition, while Schoenewald, from Gillette, WY, placed 10th in the Photography (individual event) competition.
The CNC Programmer competition assesses participants' ability to plan and create programs for CNC turning centers and milling machines, prepare operator instructions for production, diagnose programming errors, interpret prints, measure/gauge parts, and demonstrate theoretical understanding of CNC machines. On the other hand, the Photography competition evaluates participants through real-world tasks such as knowledge of modern digital SLR or mirrorless cameras, field assignment, creating a contact sheet, making a composited digital fine art piece, taking a written exam, portrait/commercial studio using strobe lighting, identifying and correcting common photographic errors, print competition, and a job interview.
SkillsUSA's mission is to empower students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members. As America's champion of the skilled trades, SkillsUSA offers industry-recognized technical competitions that validate skills in numerous trades and technical fields, leadership development programs that build career readiness and personal growth, and a pathway through work-based learning experiences that combine education and employment readiness. These activities provide opportunities for students to connect with mentors, employers, and industry professionals.
The SkillsUSA Championships are more than just a competition; they are a testament to the students' dedication, talent, and passion. SkillsUSA President Walt Tribley stated, "The students' achievements showcase the quality of the faculty and programs at Sheridan College." Edith Johnson-LaMeres, SC Career and Technical Education Dean, expressed deep appreciation for the participants and their achievements, signaling a bright future for a strong, skilled workforce.
Everyone on the team is grateful to the educators, mentors, and industry partners who support these amazing students. The participants' commitment and passion signal a bright future for a strong, skilled workforce, embodying SkillsUSA's mission to empower students to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible American citizens.
Education-and-self-development opportunities were offered to students through the online learning platform provided by SkillsUSA Championships, giving participants access to resources and workshops designed for skill enhancement in various fields. The importance of continuous learning was underscored as students prepared for the national competition, where they demonstrated disciplined study in online-education modules related to their chosen vocational trades.
