Chattanooga State Community College Celebrates SkillsUSA Statewide Champions

Chattanooga, TN— On Monday, Chattanooga State Community College’s (ChattState) campus was packed with students, faculty, and local leaders, all gathered to celebrate the significant accomplishments of over 30 students heading for the SkillsUSA national competition in Atlanta.From all participating Tennessee community colleges, ChattState stands out by sending a record-breaking 33 SkillsUSA gold medalists to compete on the national stage.

SkillsUSA: A Gateway to Industry Opportunities

Emphasizing the importance of SkillsUSA, Mike Mercer, Co-Lead Adviser, views the competition as an invaluable opportunity for students to meet industry leaders responsible for hiring graduates. “The people who are judging these events are industry partners.” Mercer stated, “I have seen people get jobs from a mock interview; I’ve seen people get jobs from a competition.” This competition provides students with a unique platform to showcase their skills and establish industry connections.

Celebrating Skill-based Technical Education

The Chattanooga Mayor, Tim Kelly, also attended the event and praised the technical education offered by ChattState. He believes that such education is not only about honing hard skills but also about helping students find their calling. “What is so great about ChattState is that it gives you so many options to discover what makes your heart sing.” Kelly said “The secret to life, I’m discovering, is not money, per se. It is meaningful work and getting paid for doing something you love.”

Leaders Encouraging the Competitors

Offering their best wishes to the competitors were ChattState President Dr. Rebecca Ashford, Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, Tennessee Board of Regents member Tom White, and ChattState alumna Abby Johnson. Dr. Ashford compared SkillsUSA to the Olympics, saying, “SkillsUSA is sort of like the Olympics of career and technical education.” She went on to express her pride in the students transitioning from state gold medalists to national competitors, stating what an honor and privilege it was to celebrate their accomplishments.

The anticipation for the national competition grows as these gold medalists gear up to represent the excellence and talent ChattState has nurtured. All eyes are on the national competition now, with ChattState’s community hoping to see their students shine in Atlanta.