TCSG: Georgia technical college students take top medal count in national skills competition
Southern Regional Technical College students also among 11 selected for world competition
Atlanta, Ga. – Georgia is now the top state in the U.S. for the number of medals awarded in a national skills competition. Georgia high school and technical college students who progressed to the 2017 SkillsUSA National Conference after winning at the state-level competition brought home a combined total of 90 medals, up from 68 in 2016 and the most awarded to Georgia competitors in recent years.
“This is an outstanding achievement, especially considering that Georgia ranks 14th in membership in SkillsUSA,” said Gretchen Corbin, Commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia. “It speaks volumes to the exceptional quality of talent that our high schools and colleges are training to enter the workforce in our state.”
In addition, a technical college team from Georgia has been selected to compete in WorldSkills, which is held every two years. Corey Cleghorn and Joshua Whittington from Southern Regional Technical College’s 2015 Mechatronics team will compete in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in October. They will be two of 11 competitors SkillsUSA has selected to compete in 10 contests.
SkillsUSA is a national, nonprofit student organization that has developed more than 10 million workers through active partnerships between employers and educators. Hundreds of American industries have turned to SkillsUSA as the source for employees who exemplify “Champions at Work” in both skills and attitudes. Each March, SkillsUSA Georgia holds a statewide competition, the single largest construction event in the Southeastern United States. Winners go on to the national competition in Louisville, Ky. The national event will move to Atlanta in 2021.
Georgia Postsecondary, the state’s technical college contingent, sent 111 contestants to Louisville for the event, held June 19-23, and won a total of 53 medals: 24 gold, 12 silver and 17 bronze. The top three total medal recipient chapters were: Savannah Technical College (8); tied for 2nd place were Oconee Fall Line Technical College (7) and Georgia Northwestern Technical College (7); and tied for 3rd place were Gwinnett Technical College (6) and Wiregrass Georgia Technical College (6).
Top three gold medal recipient chapters were: Oconee Fall Line Technical College (7), Central Georgia Technical College (4), and tied for 3rd place were Gwinnett Technical College (3) and Georgia Piedmont Technical College (3).
The Dr. John Scott Award for highest-scoring individual competitor in Georgia Postsecondary went to Heidy Sosa from Gwinnett Technical College in the Health Occupations Professional Portfolio contest. The Curtiss Bell Award for highest-scoring team competitors in Georgia Postsecondary was a tie between the Opening & Closing Ceremonies team from Oconee Fall Line Technical College and the 3-D Visualization & Animation team from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.
Additionally, Georgia Northwestern Technical College received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for Families and Groups. The President’s Volunteer Service Award is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation on behalf of the President of the United States to recognize the best in the American spirit, and to encourage all Americans to improve their communities through volunteer service, and civic participation. The college was previously awarded SkillsUSA Georgia Postsecondary’s highest honor, the Chapter of Distinction award.
About the Technical College System of Georgia
The 22 colleges of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) are Georgia’s top resource for skilled workers. TCSG offers world-class training in more than 600 associate degree, diploma and certificate programs to students who are trained on state-of-the-art equipment by instructors who are experts in their fields. The system also houses Georgia’s Office of Adult Education, which promotes and provides adult literacy and education programs, including the GED® testing program, throughout the state. In addition, TCSG partners with companies through Quick Start, the nation’s top customized workforce training program, and through its individual colleges, who work with local industry to provide workforce and training solutions. For more information, visit www.TCSG.edu.
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a vital solution to the growing U.S. skills gap. This nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry ensures America has the skilled workforce it needs to stay competitive. Founded in 1965 and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, the association serves more than 335,000 member students and instructors each year in middle schools, high schools and colleges. This diverse talent pipeline covers 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, the majority STEM-related. More than 600 corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA at the national level. SkillsUSA programs are integrated into career and technical education through a framework of personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. Local, state and national championships designed and judged by industry, set relevant standards for career and technical education and provide needed recognition to its students. SkillsUSA also offers technical skill assessments and other workplace credentials. For more information, go to: www.SkillsUSA.org.
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Contact: Alison Tyrer
404-327-6913
atyrer@tcsg.edu
A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, Savannah Technical College (Savannah Tech) is the premier provider of career-ready technical education in Coastal Georgia, offering a comprehensive range of nearly 150 market-driven programs, preparing students for high-demand careers including Aviation Technology, Cybersecurity, Health Sciences, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Automation & Robotics, Information Technology, Culinary Arts, Public Services and more. With campuses in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty Counties, Savannah Tech serves more than 13,000 credit and non-credit students with a variety of pathways to success, including dual enrollment programs for high school students and specialized support services for military veterans and their families. Beyond academics, Savannah Tech is an economic and community development partner, collaborating with industry leaders to provide customized training programs, assessment services, and continuing education opportunities. For more information, visit www.savannahtech.edu.
Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
Savannah Technical College complies with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). The TCSG State Board prohibits discrimination on the basis of an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status (“protected status”). No individual shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation under, any TCSG program or activity because of the individual’s protected status; nor shall any individual be given preferential treatment because of the individual’s protected status, except the preferential treatment may be given on the basis of veteran status when appropriate under federal or state law.