Roundup Record Tribune & Winnett Times -

Timothy Walters, 18, of Missoula, Montana received Gold in the SkillsUSA Championships in High School Technical Computer Applications. Virgil Tholt, 13, of Winnett, Montana received Bronze in the SkillsUSA Championships in Middle School T-Shirt Design. The national skilled trades championships, held in Atlanta took place on June 20-22, 2023. The annual SkillsUSA conference was a showcase of career and technical education where more than 6,000 outstanding career and technical education students -- all state contest winners -- competed hands-on in 110 different trade, technical and leadership fields. SkillsUSA is America's proud champion of the skilled trades. We're a diverse, student-led organization building the future skilled workforce with graduates who are career ready, day one.

Virgil is in Middle School at Winnett public school in Winnett, Montana. "We are very proud of Tim's accomplishments," said Adam Tholt, his SkillsUSA advisor. "By showing their dedication to excellence in occupational and leadership skills, Tim and the other students who participated in the SkillsUSA competition are true 'champions at work.'"

During the SkillsUSA competition, the students worked against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting and culinary arts. All contests are run with the help of industry, trade associations and labor organizations, testing competencies set by industry for entry-level workers in their field. In addition, leadership contestants demonstrated public speaking, extemporaneous speaking, conducting meetings by parliamentary procedure and speed-round knowledge quiz bowls. [Note: for a description of a particular contest, go to http://www.skillsusa.org/competitions/skillsusa-championships/contest-descriptions/.]

A total of 1,250 gold, silver and bronze medals were presented to students on Friday night, June 23 at the SkillsUSA Awards Session at State Farm Arena. Many winners also received industry prizes, tools of their trade or scholarships. The medalists and contestants who met a threshold contest score for their event as an indicator of proficiency also received a Skill Point Certificate representing workplace readiness in the student's occupational specialty. Students can add the certificate to an employment portfolio.

SkillsUSA is America's proud champion of the skilled trades. It's a student-led partnership of education and industry that's building the skilled workforce our nation depends on with graduates who are career ready, day one. Representing nearly 380,000 career and technical education students and teachers, SkillsUSA chapters thrive in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. SkillsUSA's mission empowers students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. That mission is accomplished through the SkillsUSA Framework of Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics, which is integrated into classroom curriculum. Through Framework instruction, students develop the character-shaping leadership skills -- teamwork, communication, professionalism and more -- that successful careers and lives demand. At the same time, students hone their high-level technical skills against current industry standards in more than 130 skilled trade areas, from 3-D Animation to Welding. The result? Focused, confident and highly skilled graduates who are ready to work, ready to lead and ready to make a difference in our schools, workplaces and communities. A vital solution to the skills gap, where more in-demand skilled trades positions are available than qualified professionals to fill them, SkillsUSA has served over 14 million difference-making members since 1965. To learn more, visit http://www.skillsusa.org.