PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Maine Community College students brought home three gold and two silver medals from the recent SkillsUSA Maine Championships, held March 7 and 8 in Bangor.
More than 950 middle school, secondary, and postsecondary trade and technical students from across Maine competed in more than 70 categories at United Technologies Center, the Cross Center and Eastern Maine Community College.
Rick Taggett, NMCC welding instructor, was the chair of the state welding contest again this year.
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- Cory Jandreau, NMCC Auto Collision Repair student, performs a plastic repair on a bumper cover at the 2019 SkillsUSA Maine event in Bangor. (Courtesy of Northern Maine Community College)
“The competition opens students’ eyes to potential careers and helps them prepare for life beyond school,” said Taggett. “Our students did themselves proud.”
Three local students came home with first-place gold medals: Zachary Hagan for auto collision repair, Jacques Beaulieu for welding, and Craig Kiser for electrical construction wiring. Silver medal winners included Cory Jandreau for auto collision repair and Chris Forbes for automotive technology.
SkillsUSA organizes competitive events highlighting the best career and technical education students in the country and rewards students for excellence. The competitions begin on the state level and provide students unique opportunities to excel in their trade.
Many of the competitions include mock interviews and requirements of professionalism, but the focus of the day is on technical expertise and attention to detail.
The NMCC SkillsUSA chapter meets throughout the academic year to prepare for the competition. Gold medal winners can compete at the national competition in Louisville, Kentucky in June.
Next year’s state championship event is slated for March 19 and 20.
Submitted by the Development and College Relations Office of Northern Maine Community College.
