By Chelsea McNerney-Martinez
MONTE VISTA— Monte Vista High School junior Daniel Miller is going to the SkillsUSA National Competition in Louisville, Kentucky this June. Miller won the state competition in electrical construction wiring, beating four other trade school competitors in an intense, eight-hour test, proving his knowledge, dedication and resolve.
Miller qualified for state after competing at the district level this past February. “It’s unlike any other competition,” said industrial arts instructor and SkillsUSA sponsor Aaron Woodke. At the state competition, held at the Manufacturing Industry Learning Lab (MiLL) in Colorado Springs, Miller and the other students were given a written exam based on the National Electric Code (NEC) and were presented with two, four-feet wide by six-feet tall blank walls and a set of blueprints. The students then have eight hours, including a half-hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks, to complete the wiring and conduit work to meet the blueprint’s instructions. “We use Romex for half the wall and piping for half,” Miller clarified. During the competition, the students are not allowed to speak to one another, their instructors, their families or anyone in the audience. They are monitored and judged by field professionals, including master electricians and licensed commercial contractors. The students also lose access to any potential resources and internet access during the eight hour window. “It’s a real test of your knowledge,” said Woodke. According to SkillsUSA, “Judging is based on general workmanship, accuracy of layout and installation, and adherence to the current NEC and standard industry safe practices.” The competitors are also judged on their professional appearance and use of safety equipment and are required to be in uniform, wear a hard hat and safety goggles.
Miller has at least three years of practice, working with his father, a master electrician and owner of Power Pro Electric. Miller also hopes to continue this career path and become a master electrician after graduation. “He has a plan; he knows what he wants to do and it says a lot about his dedication,” Woodke said. The National SkillsUSA competition will be a great step toward that. The $46 million event is sponsored by major corporations like Caterpillar Equipment, Dewalt tools, Snap-On and more, and representatives from these, other businesses and national unions are on hand judging the events and networking with the competitors. Major colleges and trade schools also use the SkillsUSA competition for recruitment and distribution of scholarships and internship and apprenticeship opportunities.
Miller has to raise about $4,000 to attend the prestigious event for fees, airfare and hotel expenses and he is looking for sponsorships from local businesses and supporters in Monte Vista. One local business has agreed to match all donations Miller gains. Even with up to 49 other competitors in his event, Miller remains confident he can complete the project in about six and a half hours and that the winner will come down to time and accuracy, skills Miller has no qualms about. The national conference also includes several leadership workshops, other educational courses and expos.
This is the second year MVHS has had the SkillsUSA program as an available club, but the first year students have competed at the state— and now the national level. SkillsUSA has over 100 events students can choose from, ranging from electrical, masonry, welding and plumbing to cosmetology, video game design, computer programming and auto body repair, anything that relates to a vocation. In order to compete in an event, the host school must have a class that relates to the event. MVHS SkillsUSA students competed at the state level in cabinet making, job interview skills, extemporaneous speaking and electrical construction wiring. Woodke required all of his students to also compete in the job interview event and has been relaying the important lessons of professional networking to them as well, requiring each student to carry and hand out business cards at competitions and complete thank-you cards to everyone they have direct contact with. Woodke wants the SkillsUSA students to build not only their technical and vocational abilities, but their ability to communicate their integrity and enthusiasm in a positive way because “It’s not always what you know; it’s also who you know,” Miller added.
The MVHS SkillsUSA club is looking for sponsors to fund the often costly supplies and equipment needed for students to learn, practice and compete with, or donations of the supplies themselves, like wood, conduit, piping or metal. Additionally, Woodke is looking for community organizations or businesses that can provide the students with a community service project(s) where they can put their skills to use giving back to the community. The students can assist in the maintenance of buildings including electrical work, carpentry, masonry and more. Woodke wants the community to understand SkillsUSA is a very practical, yet intense organization that prepares students for the workforce, higher education and to be productive members of their communities in a myriad of ways.
Anyone interested in assisting the MVHS chapter of SkillsUSA or sponsoring Miller in his national competition, please contact Woodke at [email protected].