Ten area high schools had students competing in the East Georgia Workforce Development Alliance Skills Challenge on Thursday, Nov. 17, one of seven regional events in Georgia.
Students competed in several categories including carpentry, electrical, masonry, plumbing, sheet metal and welding.
“As a host contractor, our team is thrilled to welcome many local students, teachers, spectators, government officials and more to this amazing event that wouldn’t have been achievable without the support of additional sponsoring industry firms,” R.W. Allen Construction CEO and President Scott Clark said in a joint statement. “In addition to providing opportunities for competitors, our goal is to educate students on the numerous career paths that exist within the construction industry.”
With more than 100 students participating in the competitions, dozens more students will observe in hopes of competing in the future. Local companies provide volunteer judges who offer interactive activities for student observers to become more familiar with specific construction trades, according to a press release from the organization.
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“As always, AGC Georgia is proud to host Skills Challenges with regional contractors in seven cities across the state,” AGC Georgia CEO Mike Dunham said. “These events provide high school students with the opportunity to showcase what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it through real-life competitions. We always love seeing the excitement from competitors’ parents, construction teachers and school counselors, along with local academic and community leaders as they celebrate the achievements of hundreds of students achieving in the construction industry.”
Among the high schools involved in the East Georgia Skills Challenge were East Laurens High School, Evans High School, Greene County High School, Hephzibah High School, Jefferson County High School, Lincoln County High School, Marion E Barnes Career Center, Thomson High School, Washington County High School and West Laurens High School.
The event prepares students who qualify for the regional SkillsUSA competition that takes place in January, according to the press release.Hi Winners from those regional events then participate in the state SkillsUSA competition in late February at the Georgia World Congress Center.
For more information about Skills Challenges, please visit www.agcga.org/skills.
