SFCC College, SFCTC Students Compete Well At SkillsUSA National Competition

For the first time in State Fair Community College history, three students in the Precision Machining program competed in the postsecondary SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills (NLSC) competition in Atlanta, Georgia, and were ranked fourth in the nation in Automated Manufacturing.

Members of SFCC’s team were Mikhail Boychuk of Cole Camp, Shae Childers of Windsor and Wyatt Siegal of Tipton.

To earn the trip to the SkillsUSA NLSC competition, Boychuk, Childers and Siegal, as a team, had to finish first place in the state competition that was held earlier in the year. During the two-day event in Atlanta, they competed against other first-place winners from all U.S. states and territories.

Justin Wright, SFCC Precision Machining program coordinator, accompanied the students to Atlanta.

“This was a great first-time experience competing in SkillsUSA on the postsecondary level,” said Wright. “I’m very proud of these students. We are looking forward to 2023 and hoping for another first-place win at state and taking the Gold at the National competition.”

Green High School student Eric Thomas attends the State Fair Career and Technology Center and competed in the SkillsUSA individual secondary level competition in Industrial Motor Controls and was ranked 11th in the nation. Thomas had to be able to understand and decipher electrical schematics, mount and install various electrical components, and troubleshoot issues in an electrical system. Brady Glover, SFCTC Electronics instructor, accompanied Thomas to Atlanta.

“I have been extremely impressed with Eric and the things he has accomplished in the short time I have known him,” said Glover. “When Eric competed in the state SkillsUSA competition, we had only been doing electrical work for about a month and a half before he won first place. This year we will be working hard and preparing to go back and win it all.”

--SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA is a nonprofit national association that serves middle-school, high-school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. In 2022, nearly 5,200 outstanding career and technical education students (all state contest winners) competed hands-on in 108 different trade, technical and learning career competitions. (Source: SkillsUSA.org) 

In the photo: Three State Fair Community College Precision Machining students were ranked fourth in the nation in Automated Manufacturing at the SkillsUSA competition last month in Atlanta, Georgia. From left, Mikhail Boychuk, Shae Childers and Wyatt Siegal. State Fair Career and Technical student Eric Thomas, far right, ranked 11th in the nation in the individual, secondary level SkillsUSA competition