SkillsUSA Texas high school and college students competed for slots at national competition during contests hosted by Del Mar College as part of April 9-10 State Leadership & Skills Conference
Competitors demonstrated know-how and deftness in occupation-based fields taught on college’s Windward Campus, such as EMS, firefighting, nursing and health sciences, HVAC, architecture & drafting and aviation maintenance
Article by Richard Guerrero, Jr. /Melinda Eddleman
They came from all over Texas to compete – from Wylie to Weslaco. In April, for the past few years now, high school and some college students across the state have converged in Corpus Christi to compete during the SkillsUSA Texas State Leadership & Skills Conference. This year, Del Mar College was one of many contest sites throughout the city facilitating contests with competitors at the Windward Campus April 9-10, as they competed for top spots at the national competition in June in Atlanta, Ga.
After a rigorous display of technical prowess during SkillsUSA Texas District Level Leadership & Skills Conferences earlier this spring, top-performing students were set to elevate their game at the state level. DMC hosted district-level competitions in February and hosted over 600 contenders last week.
Overall, organizers say that over 6,500 students from approximately 200 high schools, along with some college students, competed in over 150 state-level hands-on skills and leadership contests scheduled around the city. The ninth through twelfth graders and college students represented Texas’ regions from Laredo to the Panhandle, and those who competed on the Windward Campus engaged with DMC programs ranging from EMS and health sciences to robotics, architecture and welding––all high demand jobs the Coastal Bend region and across the state.
Two featured contests that were held on April 10––EMS and firefighting––focused on student competence by demonstrating rapid trauma assessment and life-saving treatment like hemorrhage control or airway management while communicating effectively under pressure. Students also will be judged on their speed and accuracy while donning full “turnout” gear as they handle fire hoses, tie specialized knots and climb ladders. DMC Windward Campus features specialized training towers and fire grounds where students can demonstrate these skills in a controlled, professional setting in addition to facilities that provide realistic simulation labs where students work with advanced medical manikins and real ambulance equipment.
Dara Betz, DMC Corporate Services Director of Workforce Programs, says that Del Mar College has hosted district- and state-level competitions for more than a decade and notes the competition gives students from across Texas a first-hand look at the college’s degree programs and state-of-the-art labs while also creating a direct networking link between students and DMC faculty and potential future employers among industry partners serving as judges during the competitions.
“The SkillsUSA Texas competition equips students with essential skills and leadership qualities for successful careers,” Betz says. “With the expertise among Del Mar’s faculty and strong connections to regional industry leaders, both high school and college competitors receive rigorous, high-quality assessments that prepare them for Texas' workforce and the high-demand job skills needed now and in the future.”
The competition closed with an awards ceremony April 11 at Hillard Center Arena.
SkillsUSA is a national career and technical student organization that serves more than 395,000 high school, college and middle school students and professional members enrolled in training programs in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations. Given its immense size, the state of Texas is broken up into three SkillsUSA Texas regions that encompass 13 districts.
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.
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