Press Releases, Student Life

NCC Students Place in Top Five at Skills USA Competition

On April 22, five Nash Community College Computer-Integrated Machining students earned high placements in the SkillsUSA State Competition. SkillsUSA is a national partnership of over 300,000 students and teachers involved with industry; working together to provide a skilled workforce in America.

Over 1,700 career and technical education students participated in this year’s SkillsUSA Competition, held at the Greensboro Coliseum and Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. Competitions covered numerous trade areas, including construction, automotive, welding, drafting, public safety and cosmetology. Competing for NCC, student Dustin Siemers of Wake Forest, placed first in the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Milling Specialist category. The CNC milling specialist competition assesses an individual’s ability to write a CNC program capable of producing parts on a milling machine. In the CNC Turning specialist’s category, Kory Lawler of Rocky Mount and Jason Brannan of Nashville placed second and third respectively. The CNC Turning Specialist category evaluates the ability to write a CNC program and produce parts on a lathe. In the CNC Technician category, Kody Banks of Macclesfield and Jerry Duncan of Spring Hope took fourth and fifth place. The CNC technician category test skills in writing a CNC program for both 2.5 axis milling and 2 axis turning in a shorter period of time than other CNC categories. All students were required to take a written test and a metrology (measuring) skills test.

“I am extremely proud of these students. They were the best prepared group that I have ever taken to compete in SkillsUSA. They truly are the best,” expressed George Shook, Nash Community College Computer-Integrated Machining Instructor. Shook explained that each student received a medal and those placing third and above also received a plaque in recognition of their achievements. Siemers, who placed first in the milling category will move forward to compete in the National Championship held in Louisville, KY.