In June, over 5,700 students competed in the 48th Annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City. Of the 5,700 contestants 132 were Utah students. This conference showcased the best Career and Technical Education students in the nation, who first competed in their state and then advanced to the national competition.

The philosophy of the SkillsUSA Championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance, and to keep training relevant to employers’ needs.

From cabinetmaking to cosmetology to Web design to telecommunications, Utah students competed in approximately 75 competitions. Students participating in SkillsUSA were required to complete a series of challenges. Congratulations to the eleven SkillsUSA 2011 secondary winners and to the 33 SkillsUSA 2011 postsecondary winners. Each student competed with dignity and represented the state of Utah extremely well.

Secondary Winners:
Kaydee Walters
Tooele High School
Gold medal winner in cabinetmaking

“[CTE] classes, my participation and leadership in SkillsUSA, and all the classes I will be taking in college will help me to enter and succeed in cabinetmaking and architectural woodwork.” Kaydee Walters

McKinzie Madsen
Desert Hills High School
Gold medal winner in advertising design

Maya Pendleton, Alexander Millar, Karlie Boam
Ben Lomond High School
Silver medal winner for chapter display

Brooke Miller
Skyline High School
Silver medal winner in job interview

Katrina Warkentin and Eliza Brown
Canyons Technical Education Center
Silver medal in nail care

Collin Rogow
Canyons Technical Education Center
Silver medal in telecommunications cabling

Rico Montoya and Elli Petersen
Canyons Technical Education Center
Silver in Web design

Watch a recap of the events at the National Skills and Leadership Conference for SkillsUSA in Kansas City at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTt6AxUgOyE.

“As we start a new year with current and new participants, I hope that all of our student and professional members recognize the value of full participation in SkillsUSA. There is tremendous potential for professional development, leadership development, social activities, service activities and many opportunities for students to kick-start their current and future career efforts. Near the end of the year we will add the “icing on the cake” that comes from local, regional, state and national competitions, where our students prove that they can compete with the very best career professionals that our country has to offer.”
Richard Wittwer, SkillsUSA Utah State Director

Join the 13,000 Utah SkillsUSA  members and the 264,000 National SkillsUSA members to develop skills to be successful in your future career. Contact your school SkillsUSA advisor to learn more about SkillsUSA.

Like national SkillsUSA members on Facebook.
Follow national SkillsUSA members on Twitter.

Kaydee Walters graduated in June from Tooele High School where she was a member of the track and field team and the SkillsUSA Vice President. As Vice President, Kaydee joined with the Tooele High School SkillsUSA chapter to collect over 800 lbs. of food for the local food bank. This service project was in conjunction with the SkillsUSA National Week of Service.

During her last two years of high school Kaydee participated in several SkillsUSA competitions. Last year, she was a member of the Quiz Bowl team who won first place at the state competition and then placed ninth at the national competition. In March, Kaydee participated in the state SkillsUSA cabinetmaking competition where she placed first. In June, she advanced to the SkillsUSA National Skills and Leadership Conference in Kansas City. In this competition students received a set of plans they have never seen before and were required to build the project within six hours. The students were given only enough materials to do it right the first time. Projects were scored on an accuracy of 1/32 inch. Kaydee performed with accuracy and precision. She was the gold medal winner in cabinetmaking surpassing 49 competitors—all of whom were male. Kaydee was the first female, ever, to win this competition.

Woodworking is Kaydee’s passion and has been for a long time. “Throughout my high school career I focused on the Cabinetmaking/Millwork CTE Pathway.” Michael Florence, Kaydee’s cabinetmaking instructor says, “Early on, Kaydee exhibited the potential to be a skilled woodworker. Kaydee designed and built her first personal woodworking project with very little help. The craftsmanship was not perfect, but the understanding and ability she displayed during its design and construction was outstanding.” Through hard work, perseverance and dedication Kaydee honed her skills and became a skilled craftsman. “I am very dedicated to my work. I am a hard worker. I am motivated, strong willed, and efficient. . . My CTE classes in high school prepared me in many ways. Such as teaching me the knowledge I needed to know about woodworking, learning about all the tools and machines and how to use them, and how to create and read plans.”

Kaydee completed the Cabinetmaking/Millwork Pathway and received the CTE Secondary Pathways Completer Recognition Award. She also received a CTE Scholarship and Tuition Award to Utah Valley University (UVU) where she will be studying Cabinetry and Architectural Woodworking to earn an associate degree. “Upon completing my degree I will find a job in a cabinetmaking and architectural woodworking business, like Fetzer Architectural Woodwork, or a similar company that produces high quality, custom made furniture and cabinetry. This will allow me to gain the experience I will need to obtain my ultimate goal of owning and operating my own custom woodworking business.”

“[CTE] classes, my participation and leadership in SkillsUSA, and all the classes I will be taking in college will help me to enter and succeed in cabinetmaking and architectural woodwork.”

UtahCTE.org congratulates Kaydee on her many accomplishments and wishes her all the best as she advances to college and career.

Students interested in manufacturing tend to have a few traits in common: they are problem solvers, creative thinkers, good with computers, and meticulous about details. If these traits describe you then you should consider a career in manufacturing. In today’s knowledge-based workplace skilled workers are at a premium. Those who are successful have specialized skills, hands-on training, and problem-solving skills. In every manufacturing occupation a working knowledge of math is crucial. Students working in manufacturing will need to easily calculate mathematical problems using concepts learned from algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.

Through Career and Technical Education, Skilled and Technical Sciences Education (STS) has five Pathways in Precision Production Trades that lead to careers in manufacturing. By taking STS courses students can obtain industry certification and be ready to work in a manufacturing career shortly after high school.

Precision Production Trades
Cabinetmaking/Millwork Pathway
Drafting/CAD Pathway
Graphics/Printing Pathway
Machine Tool
Welding

Manufacturing in Utah:
> There are over 3,974 manufacturing firms in the state.
> 113,000 people are employed in the manufacturing industry.
> Payroll in the manufacturing industry totals over $1.3 million.
> The average monthly wage in the manufacturing industry is $3,962,
    which is 16.8 percent higher than the statewide average monthly wage.
> Manufacturing equals 8.9 percent of all state employment.
> Utah’s manufacturing industry is currently the 3rd largest industry
    in the state for total employment.
(Source: Utah Manufacturers Association and Utah Department of Workforce Services) 

Kaydee Walters

Jobs in manufacturing require workers who can interpret blueprints, program computerized machining, and solve problems quickly. Kaydee Walters, a recent graduate from Tooele High School, was the gold medal winner in cabinetmaking at the National Skills and Leadership Conference for SkillsUSA in Kansas City. She was the first female, ever, to win this competition. Through participation in CTE Kaydee learned and mastered the specialized skills that will lead her to a successful career in manufacturing. “My CTE classes in high school prepared me in many ways. Such as teaching me the knowledge I needed to know about woodworking, learning about all the tools and machines and how to use them, and how to create and read plans.”

Get started and build a skill for life!

By Lara Dobson
Student, Skyline High School

My eyes fluttered open to see the blinding white walls of the classroom. The bell had just rung signaling the end of third period. I raised my head and looked down at the crowded text of my Chemistry book. I knew I would be up late that night finishing the work I hadn’t started during class. I pried myself from the chair, threw my backpack over my shoulder, and started walking to fourth period. Down the history hall, out the side doors, across the sidewalk, and into the Auto Mechanics building. As always, my nose was flooded with the scent of oil and gasoline. I plopped down in a chair, but knew I wouldn’t be stationary for long. We were learning how to rotate tires that day. After a brief discussion on the plan, I put on my trusty blue mechanic suit and entered the shop. The noise coming from the drills, combined with sparks flying from a welder had me energized instantly. I listened impatiently as our teacher showed us step by step how to rotate the tires, anxious to get some hands-on experience. But, when I finally got the drill in my hands, I felt completely lost! The truth is, I had never held a drill – let alone been expected to use one – in my entire life. It took perseverance, but with practice and the help of my fellow classmates, I felt pretty competent by the end of the class.  Imagine; me, a skilled mechanic!