Competition puts central Virginia trades students to the test

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Students across Virginia met at Charlottesville Area Technical Education Center for the Skills USA district competition.

It allowed high school students from CATEC, Massanutten Technical Center in Harrisonburg, Valley Career and Technical Center in Fishersville, and Greene County Technical Education Center in Stanardsville to practice their newly-acquired technical skills with some friendly competition built in.

The competition brought more than 70 students together from the four schools, each competing in eight different competitions across five separate programs.

“The kids work all year for this, it’s a contest, they get a chance to show what they’ve learned and they’re doing a contest in front of the people that could possibly be hiring them in the next year so it’s a good opportunity for them,” said Matt Richardson, CATEC automotive technology instructor.

“We concentrate on the trades so this is great,” Richardson said. “It’s not enough people to fill the trades right now and so this is the perfect place for them to come.”

From mechanic and electrician work to cosmetology and carpentry. The Skills USA district competition gives students from many different fields the chance to showcase their skills.

“This is the real deal here, if you want to be a technician this is what you’ll see everyday, and we actually have a job interview station set up so they’ll be interviewing for a job today as well,” Richardson said.

Students have a limited amount of time to complete a set of tasks related to their trade and are scored by a set of judges.

“It definitely helps with the nervous aspect of the business,” CATEC student Zaniah Walker said. “Being around so many different people with so many different things going on you’re a little nervous but as you continue to do it it goes away.”

Walker says for many of the students it’s an opportunity to begin building a career after school.

“College is not for everyone and it’s really hard right after high school jumping into a job but if you’re at CATEC you’re already certified so right after you finish high school you have a job handed to you in sort of a way so it’s pretty amazing that it’s here,” Walker said.

Winners of the Skills USA district competition will move on to a state competition in Virginia Beach later this year.

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