RCCC hosts SkillsUSA event

For the third consecutive year, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College will host the SkillsUSA Regional Competition at its North Campus in Salisbury on Friday.

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA is an applied method of instruction for preparing America’s high performance workers in public career and technical programs.

It provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. It builds and reinforces self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. It emphasizes total quality at work — high ethical standards, superior work skills, lifelong education and pride in the dignity of work.

As in previous years, high school students from surrounding counties will compete in multiple trade and career related areas for the opportunity to represent their school in the state and national competition.

Last year, the college hosted 145 attendees with 124 students representing 10 high schools throughout central North Carolina who competed in areas such as architectural drafting, technical drafting, automotive service technology, related technical math, speech, community service and job interview.

This year’s event will also feature a Trades Day spotlighting the technical and leadership programs available at Rowan-Cabarrus. Groups of attendees will tour campus, making stops in program areas for hands-on demonstrations and an opportunity to gather information on careers and vocational programs.

This event is open to high school students, teachers and guidance counselors. For more information, or to attend, please contact Gary Bigelow, dean of Industrial & Engineering Technologies at Rowan-Cabarrus, at 704-216-3900 or gary.bigelow@ rccc.edu.

The competition will begin at 8 a.m. and run until 1:30 p.m. SkillsUSA serves more than 300,000 students and instructors annually. SkillsUSA’s mission is to help its members become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens (http://www.skillsusa. org).