High school students from across the region will be on Temple College’s main campus Saturday, Jan. 28, competing in a variety of SkillsUSA challenges.

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry professionals working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. A nonprofit national education association, SkillsUSA serves middle school, high school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.

“The competition allows for career and technical faculty to work directly with community partners in the evaluation of skills that students have gained through their ISDs,” said Stephen Phelps, division director of Business and Career Professions at Temple College.

Students will compete in the areas of: 

  • 3-D Visualization and Animation
  • Advertising Design
  • Architectural Drafting
  • Audio / Radio Production
  • Basic Health Care
  • Broadcast News Production
  • Building Searches
  • Community Emergency Response
  • Computer Programming
  • Crime Scene Investigations
  • Criminal Justice
  • Customer Service
  • Cyber Security
  • Dental Assisting
  • Emergency Medical Technician
  • Engineering Design / Technology
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Felony Traffic Stops
  • Firefighting
  • First Aid / CPR
  • Forensic Sciences
  • Graphic Communications
  • Health Occupations
  • Information Technology Services
  • Interactive Application and Game Development
  • Internetworking
  • Medical Math
  • Medical Terminology
  • Nurse Assisting
  • Principles of Engineering
  • Technical Computer Applications
  • Technical Drafting
  • Web Design

Phelps said the SkillsUSA challenges provide two primary benefits to the students.

“The first is that they get exposure to critiques that will assist them as they advance to future competitions,” he said. “The second is that the students are exposed to practitioners from the field that are filling the roles that these students aspire to.”

In addition, being on the Temple College campus allows the students to get a feel for higher education, Phelps said.

ABOUT TEMPLE COLLEGE

Temple College is a dynamic and growing community college that equips thousands of students throughout Central Texas and beyond with the knowledge and skills for 21st-century success. Temple College offers more than 75 degree and certificate programs to students who seek to earn credits for transfer, graduate with an associate degree, or complete a certificate for fast entry into the workforce.

Founded in 1926, Temple College has enjoyed an excellent academic reputation for more than 96 years. It is nationally recognized for excellence in its programs, from visual and performing arts to competitive athletics. The College has become one of the state’s premiere institutions for healthcare providers’ education and training, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development programs. The faculty and staff are committed to providing exceptional quality instruction.