Students from Delaware high school and college technical education programs won the nation's highest awards at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference. Industry leaders representing over 1,100 businesses, corporations, trade associations and unions recognized the students for their demonstrated excellence in 91 hands-on occupational and leadership contests, such as robotics, criminal justice, aviation maintenance and public speaking.
Top student winners received gold, silver and bronze medallions. In addition, for the third year, the high scorers in the contests received Skill Point Certificates. The Skill Point Certificate was awarded in 86 occupational and leadership areas at this year's National Leadership and Skill Conference. The Certificate is earned by achieving a score defined by industry, based on contest standards designed by industry representatives. While the SkillsUSA Championships have been a premier event since 1967, the Skill Point Certificates were introduced two years ago as a component of the SkillsUSA Work Force Ready System: The Way Ahead.
The following are Skill Point Certificate recipients from the Sussex area:
* Team P (consisting of Chandler Elmore, Cody Belote), from Sussex Tech
High School (Georgetown), was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Video
Product Development.
* Terrell Hutchins, from Millsboro and a student at Sussex Tech High
School (Georgetown), was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Criminal
Justice.
* Melissa Willey, from Seaford and a student at Sussex Tech High School
(Georgetown), was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Job Interview.
"Over 5,400 students from every state in the nation came to compete in the SkillsUSA Championships this week," said SkillsUSA executive director Tim Lawrence. "This is the SkillsUSA partnership at its best. Students, instructors and industries are working together to ensure America has a skilled work force and every student excels. These students prove that career and technical education expands opportunities."
According to Lawrence, recent survey data says that 75 percent of these students will go on to higher education. Included in that number are 40 percent who will be attending college and working at the same time. Of those graduating from school, 76 percent plan to work in the field for which they've trained.
"They're the employees industry wants to hire and promote," Lawrence said.
Industry support of the SkillsUSA Championships is valued at over $35 million in donated time, equipment, cash and material. All contests are run and judged by industry experts using industry standards for employment. Contests assess hands-on, employability and academic skills. Over 1,100 industry judges and technical committee members participated this year.
KANSAS CITY, MO. —
