Fairmont State University to host SkillsUSA State Competition March 22 – 23

The future workforce of West Virginia will be on display at the SkillsUSA West Virginia Championship hosted at Fairmont State University Friday, March 22 – Saturday, March 23 in the Feaster Center. SkillsUSA aims to provide solutions to the current and future demand for a skilled workforce by preparing career and technical students for jobs available within the state.

Throughout the weekend hundreds of career and technical education students from high schools and higher education institutions from across the state will compete in contests demonstrating their skills in areas including manufacturing, transportation, construction, hospitality and human services. 

“These students are demonstrating more than just their skills; they are proving that our workforce is prepared to lead the way in every technical area our country needs to maintain a strong global economic presence,” said Melissa Wilkinson, SkillsUSA WV State Director. “CTE is learning that works for America, and we are very proud of this talented group of students who are true champions dedicated to excellence in their trades.”

During the competition, students will work against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, automotive service, medical assisting and culinary arts. All contests are run with the help of industry experts, trade associations and labor organizations, with all test competencies set by professional industry standards.

“SkillsUSA allows hundreds of West Virginian students to explore and learn skills that are paramount to a successful society,” said Fairmont State President Mike Davis. “Practical skills combined with certificates or degrees will position these students to be our next generation of economic leaders. Fairmont State is proud to support this effort.”

A list of the 1,400+ registered attendees and competition categories, along with the schools and towns participants will represent is available at www.skillsusawv.org/state-conference.

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen our nation’s skilled workforce. Driven by employer demand, SkillsUSA helps students develop necessary personal and workplace skills along with technical skills grounded in academics. This SkillsUSA Framework empowers every student to succeed at work and in life, while helping to close the skills gap in which millions of positions go unfilled. Through SkillsUSA’s championships program and curricula, employers have long ensured schools are teaching relevant technical skills, and with SkillsUSA’s new credentialing process, they can now assess how ready potential employees are for the job. SkillsUSA has members nationwide in high schools, colleges and middle schools, covering over 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and is recognized by the U.S. departments of Education and Labor as integral to career and technical education. We have served 13.9 million members since 1965. For more information: www.skillsusa.org.

Media contact: Melissa Wilkinson, SkillsUSA State Conference Director, 304-531-0603