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RENO, Nev. (COLO) – Today, students interested in becoming an auto mechanic put their knowledge to the test at Truckee Meadows Community College’s Edison Campus.
This is the venue for the Skills USA Challenge statewide competition.
There are cars parked at the station to cause some trouble. Students must determine what is wrong and possibly correct it within the allotted time.
Dilyn Strickland said she would like to pursue auto mechanics as a career. Such competition allows him to know whether he is on the right path.
“I just want to know where my skill level is,” says the Shadow Ridge High School sophomore. “Let’s see how well we can do compared to others.”
Students who participated in this competition have already achieved good results in regional assignments. The points will be decided here, and the top scorer will participate in the national tournament to be held in Atlanta in June.
Professor Wyatt Ziebell said he made that trip years ago as a state finalist.
The questions got tougher, he says.
“When you go to national competitions, it gets even bigger,” Ziebel said. “Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, Honda, Toyota are bringing in brand new cars and we’re testing them out with brand new cars that we’ve never seen before. And your school probably has never seen them before. So , again, you’ll probably have to work with brand new information.”
Ziebel says this is one way to fill the labor shortage facing the industry.
“There is a talent shortage, a skills gap,” Ziebel said. “Right? The older generation is retiring and the younger generation all want to use YouTube. How do we incorporate them into mechanical things? How do we bring them into welding, diesel, automotive? Do you want it?”
Such skills pay well, he says, and that should be another reason these jobs are attractive.
He mentioned welding, and the students also competed in their skills. Students created objects based on his work instructions at four stations.
They will be judged on how closely they follow the instructions. Students will know by midnight tonight which of them will be headed to Atlanta in June.
Diesel mechanics students test their skills late into the afternoon at TMCC.
All types of diesel engines were presented as part of the test.
“We work with backhoes, excavators, skid steers, semis, all kinds of things,” says Thomas Leggott, a diesel mechanic student at TMCC.
Of course, it would be great if we came in first place.
However, this is also an opportunity for students to understand where they need to work to excel in their chosen field.
It could ultimately help fill positions with too many vacancies.
We found examples where skills here met near-immediate local needs.
For the welding competition, teams were asked to build a barbecue pit. Teams are evaluated on how accurately their pits reflect the instructions given to them.
The barbecue pit will then be donated to Washoe County Parks.
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