{"id":10741,"date":"2024-04-04T10:07:23","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T15:07:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=10741"},"modified":"2024-04-04T10:07:23","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T15:07:23","slug":"skillsusa-brings-more-than-300-middle-high-school-students-to-uw-stout-for-leadership-technical-competitions","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/skillsusa-brings-more-than-300-middle-high-school-students-to-uw-stout-for-leadership-technical-competitions\/","title":{"rendered":"SkillsUSA brings more than 300 middle, high school students to UW-Stout for leadership, technical competitions"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo<\/a>
A student team completes their robot in the Urban Search and Rescue event \/ UW-Stout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Industry, educators work together to prepare young people for future careers, solve skills gap<\/h2>\n

More than 300 students from 36 middle school and high schools across the state participated in the\u00a0SkillsUSA<\/a>\u00a0Regional Competition at UW-Stout,\u00a0gaining hands-on skills in leadership and technology to prepare for their future careers in industry and business.<\/p>\n

Students competed in 28 events hosted by the\u00a0College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Feb. 22-23. Using CSTEMM labs\u2019 industry-standard machinery, devices and software, competitors caught a glimpse into the Stout student experience and\u00a0the polytechnic advantage<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Event winners and their schools are listed at the end of the story<\/strong>, with multiple students from Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Hartford Union, Oregon, Slinger and Unity winning gold standings.<\/p>\n

Events included 3D Printing, Automotive Service Technology, Carpentry, Entrepreneurship, Precision Machining Technology, and Welding, and\u00a0were coordinated and judged by UW-Stout faculty, staff and students, SkillsUSA advisers, technology educators and alum.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
A SkillsUSA adviser and student competitor in UW-Stout\u2019s Fryklund Hall welding and foundry labs \/ UW-Stout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSkillsUSA plays a vital role in helping young people to prepare for their futures, developing leadership skills, meeting with local industry partners, developing budgets and learning the value of community service through projects,\u201d said Dodgeland High School technology education teacher\u00a0Anna Vitale<\/strong>. \u201cThey participate in competitions that have been vetted by professionals, which helps them gain the skills necessary in their chosen field.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Dodgeland in Juneau, northwest of Milwaukee, is quite a distance from Menomonie, Vitale prefers attending UW-Stout\u2019s event because of the \u201cvariety of competitions offered and the long legacy of UW-Stout’s affiliation and support of our organization,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Dodgeland sophomore Leila H. was one of 11 classmates to participate. She loves the environment of SkillsUSA and how invited she feels. \u201cI was on the edge about competing, but SkillsUSA is all about taking risks and helping you succeed,\u201d she said. \u201cI chose to go to the UW-Stout competition because of the countless opportunities it can give me in leadership and social skills.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Dodgeland High School technology education teacher and SkillsUSA adviser Anna Vitale meets with students \/ UW-Stout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

UW-Stout has hosted SkillsUSA for more than 40 years, and for many years it was the only four-year university in Wisconsin to host it, with other events held at high schools and two-year colleges, said engineering technology Program Director Abhi Ghosh, adding that UW-Stout\u2019s may be the largest SkillsUSA Wisconsin event outside of the state competition in April.<\/p>\n

Ghosh coordinates the UW-Stout event with biology Lecturer Tiffany Hoage, CSTEMM project coordinator. They believe hosting SkillsUSA is a great way to bring dedicated middle school and high school students into UW-Stout\u2019s labs and classrooms.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur polytechnic roots mean that we have the capability to offer a full four-year college experience while also consistently being as hands-on and applied as any two-year college,\u201d Ghosh said. \u201cWe are on the right track for the future, and we always have been.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bringing attention to the need for skilled workers<\/h3>\n

Machine tool technician Mike Berry is SkillsUSA state director for the Wisconsin College\/Post-Secondary Association. He is an instructor in the precision machining technician program at Mid-State Technical College, Wisconsin Rapids campus and coordinated the Precision Machining Technology event.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a journey worker machinist and educator in the machining field, I am always excited to see students embrace a trade that has been such a big part of my life,\u201d he said. \u201cKnowing there are students interested in a career in the trade and seeing the skills these young people bring to the table continues to bring excitement.\u00a0The future for these students is bright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berry, a 2011\u00a0career, technical education and training<\/a>\u00a0UW-Stout alum, has taught at technical colleges for 23 years and has served as a SkillsUSA adviser for a decade. He believes it provides students an opportunity to showcase their skills through competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdditionally, the organization is playing a role in bringing attention to the need for skilled workers\u00a0<\/a>and what pathways can be used to gain employment in those careers.\u00a0This is a way for students, industry and educators to work together to solve the skills gap,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

A profound experience that cannot be duplicated in the classroom<\/h3>\n

Vitale, Stanley Phillips and\u00a0Bob Morehead<\/strong>\u00a0have more than 63 years of teaching experience between them and have been SkillsUSA advisers for 44 years combined. Phillips and Morehead are technology education teachers at Menomonie High School and\u00a0Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Area School District, respectively.<\/p>\n

Vitale coordinated several leadership events and Morehead the welding events, while Menomonie High School\u00a0hosted the Automotive Service Technology competition, the only competition held off campus.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
SkillsUSA students compete in the Electrical Construction Wiring event \/ UW-Stout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cAs an educator, SkillsUSA helps validate the content I teach,\u201d Morehead said. \u201cThe events push students to showcase their skills and knowledge and force them out of their comfort zone. This oftentimes leads to a profound experience that cannot be duplicated in the classroom. It is a great lesson in problem-solving, time management and teamwork.\u201d<\/p>\n

The competitors rarely have a flawless performance, Morehead added. \u201cThis is part of the learning process. We learn more from our mistakes than we do from our successes. If they do have\u00a0enough perseverance to make it to the awards podium, it is a tremendous\u00a0feeling of pride and accomplishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cedar L., a senior from Chetek-Weyerhaeuser, enjoys SkillsUSA because \u201cit allows me to gain valuable\u00a0experience\u00a0I otherwise would not be able to get. It allows me to see and use other shops, which means I gain experience\u00a0with different\u00a0types of welders and equipment. It also puts me in contact with people who aspire to follow the same or similar\u00a0path as me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Students work on small engines in Power Equipment Technology event in a Jarvis Hall Science Wing lab \/ UW-Stout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Twelve of Phillips\u2019 students were required to participate\u00a0as part of their senior internship. \u201cI see it as a way for the students to gauge their knowledge and skill set to students at other schools around the state,\u201d he said. \u201cI enjoy watching them get excited\u00a0about being at UW-Stout. It’s a nice experience for them, and they take the competitions\u00a0pretty seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vitale loves seeing the students develop and hone their leadership skills year after year. \u201cI love seeing their confidence increase, watching the shy introverts blossom out into leaders or seeing how the \u2018Type A\u2019 student who likes to take control learn that the best way to be a leader is to help others become leaders,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Vitale earned her technology education license through UW-Stout\u2019s Distance Learning Program in 2014.\u00a0Morehead is a 2001 technology education alum.\u00a0Vitale and Morehead have served on the Wisconsin Technology Education Association board of directors.<\/p>\n

UW-Stout students helped coordinators with judging and developed and set up many of the technical events. Some events were run independently by student organizations, like the\u00a0Student Construction Association<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Technology Education and Engineering Collegiate Association student club.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe technology education students enjoy judging the contests, as once they are licensed teachers, they will be in charge of running SkillsUSA chapters in their schools,\u201d said\u00a0technology education<\/a>\u00a0Program Director Barb Bauer<\/strong>, TEECA club adviser. \u201cThis is a huge opportunity for high school students to see Wisconsin\u2019s Polytechnic University.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Phot<\/a>
A student competitor in the welding and foundry labs \/ UW-Stout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 51st annual\u00a0SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference<\/a>\u00a0and state competition will be held April 9-10, at Alliant Energy Center and Madison Area Technical College, in Madison.\u00a0There are two contests, in leadership and technical skills.<\/p>\n

SkillsUSA Regional Competition winners and their high schools:<\/strong><\/p>\n