NMCC grads compete at SkillsUSA
PRESQUE ISLE — Two recent graduates of Northern Maine Community College had an experience of a lifetime by competing on the national level at SkillsUSA in Louisville, Ky.
Brady Bubar, an automotive collision repair (ACR) graduate of Bradford, and Travis Guerrette, a structural welding graduate of St. Agatha, competed from June 20-24 at the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, which showcased the best career and technical education students in the nation.
Guerrette and Bubar won the right to compete after winning gold medals in the state competition in March. Bubar placed fourth in the national ACR field and Guerrette placed 23rd in the welding contest.
SkillsUSA is an event that brings more than 5,600 outstanding career and technical education students — all state contest winners from around the country — to compete hands-on in 100 different trade, technical and leadership events. Students work against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations like electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting and culinary arts.
“Brady and Travis represented Northern Maine Community College with enthusiasm, skill and pride,” said Bob Collins, ACR instructor who accompanied Bubar and Guerrette. “Their approach and success at this level of competition was impressive.”
Contests are run with the assistance of industry, trade associations and labor organizations, and test competencies that are validated by members of business and industry. This is a multi-million-dollar event that occupies a space equivalent to 16 football fields.
The philosophy of the championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers’ needs.
