SCTCC students Nick Lanham and Alec Schrupp brought the SCTCC spark to the SkillsUSA National competition held June 20-24 in Atlanta, Ga.
Lanham competed in the Electrical Construction Wiring and placed second overall, while Schrupp placed fourth in the HVAC division. They were able to compete at the national level after placing first in the state competitions held in early April.
“My students work hard to get a chance at nations,” said Craig Fischer, Electrical instructor. “First they start with an in-house competition where they are tested in three categories: National Electrical Code (NEC), Job Interview/Resume, and a Hands on Project. After that, the top four students have the option of moving on to the state competition, where we spend a weekend competing against other colleges from around the state. On that Sunday they find out if they will be representing Minnesota down in the national competition. It is a long road but we have fun along the way as well.”
At the national conference, students are able to attend events for leadership training, an opening ceremony, recognition session, and then the competition event. Skills USA is a national organization that improves the quality of the skilled workforce through personal, workplace, and technical skills grounded in academics. The three major areas of competition are Trades and Industry, Automotive, and Hospitality/Culinary.
In addition to the conference sessions, the SCTCC delegation checked out the Expo, took a turn at virtual reality fighter jets, and tried different foods.
Congratulations Nick and Alec!
Pictured: Alec Schrupp with instructor Randy Kidder in first photo. Second photo is Nick Lanham on the winner's podium.