Automotive Students Shine at SkillsUSA Competition

Eleven Butte College Skills Club students brought home awards at the Region 4 SkillsUSA conference at the University Technical Institute (UTI) campus in Sacramento. First and second place winners will advance to the State conference April 20-23, 2017 in San Diego. 

The following students received awards:

Engineering Technology Design:                       
1st Place, Gold: Awarded to the team of Majd Barchini, Andres Marquez and Jesse Patton.

Additive Manufacturing:
1st Place, Gold: Awarded to the team of Mattias Anderson and James Bruce

Automotive Service Technologies:                    
1st Place, Gold (Tie): William Hedden and Philip Ward
2nd Place, Silver (Tie): Antonio Barajas and Ricardo Mora
3rd Place, Bronze: Derek Kolodziejczyk

Technical Drafting:            
1st Place, Gold: Christian Peralta

“These students are more than just kids,” said Doug Conrad, Butte College Skills Club Advisor and Automotive Technology Instructor. “They are the engineers, technicians and doers of tomorrow. We want these participants leading our future.”

Conrad was joined at the regional conference by fellow Skills Club Advisors Dale Alexander, Automotive Technology Instructor and Francesco Madaro, Engineering Instructor.

“Their success is our (Butte College’s) success,” said Conrad.

The Butte College Skills Club is open to any student or faculty who wants to join. In order to compete, club members must be active in an area of study that matches the available SkillsUSA competitions.

Conrad said there are a number of reasons a student might be interested in joining the Skills Club including furthering their technical or leadership skills, building confidence, networking with industry partners or adding to their portfolio. Faculty can help their students succeed not only at school, but beyond, he added.