Lakeshore Technical College Student Excels at National Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8/07/2017

CLEVELAND, WI —

Lakeshore Technical College Auto Collision Repair & Refinishing Technician student, Devon Litel, recently competed in the SkillsUSA 53rd annual National Leadership and Skills Championships in Louisville, Kentucky.  Litel placed fifth overall in the Automotive Technology competition and outperformed participants from 65 other schools.

The contests are planned by technical committees made up of representatives of labor and management and are designed to test the skills needed for a successful entry-level performance in given occupational fields.

In the Automotive Refinishing contest, contestants demonstrated their ability to perform jobs and skills based on the task list outlined by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). The competition included a series of workstations to assess skills in areas like surface preparation, spray gun operation, paint mixing, using safety precautions and more. Competitors also completed an interview, a written estimate and an ASE written exam

Each year, all national-level SkillsUSA students have to earn their way to the event by winning first-place in respective categories at the state SkillsUSA competitions. Litel earned his right to compete in the championship by earning first place in Automotive Refinishing Technology in the state competition held in Madison, Wisconsin in April.

"This is truly an amazing accomplishment," said Jack Charles, LTC Auto Repair and Refinishing Technician Instructor. "We are so proud of all that Devon has accomplished both at the state competition and at the national competition."

SkillsUSA is the national organization for students in trade, industrial, technical and health occupations education. It sponsors the SkillsUSA Championships annually to recognize the achievements of career and technical education students and to encourage them to strive for excellence and pride in their chosen occupations.

LTC Auto Collision Repair & Refinishing Technician student, Devon Litel, competes at the SkillsUSA 53rd annual National Leadership and Skills Championships in Louisville, Kentucky.
LTC Auto Collision Repair & Refinishing Technician student, Devon Litel, competes at the SkillsUSA 53rd annual National Leadership and Skills Championships in Louisville, Kentucky.
Devon Litel (L) poses with LTC Auto Repair and Refinishing Technician Instructor, Jack Charles, at the SkillsUSA competition.
Devon Litel (L) poses with LTC Auto Repair and Refinishing Technician Instructor, Jack Charles, at the SkillsUSA competition.

 

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a vital solution to the growing U.S. skills gap. This nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry ensures America has the skilled workforce it needs to stay competitive. Founded in 1965 and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, the association serves more than 300,000 member students and instructors each year in middle schools, high schools and colleges. This diverse talent pipeline covers 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, the majority STEM-related. More than 600 corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA at the national level. SkillsUSA programs are integrated into career and technical education through a framework of personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. Local, state and national championships, designed and judged by industry, set relevant standards for career and technical education and provide needed recognition to its students. SkillsUSA also offers technical skill assessments and other workplace credentials. For more information, go to: www.SkillsUSA.org.

About Lakeshore Technical College

Each year more than 10,000 people enroll in courses at Lakeshore Technical College. They rely on LTC for job preparation, to earn a degree, upgrade a specialized skill, train as an apprentice, or seek a high school equivalency. LTC faculty and staff meet students where they are in life and help them get one step closer to achieving their goals.

LTC is a nationally recognized technical college. The college was ranked the #2 two-year college in the nation for adult learners by Washington Monthly, the #17 trade school in the nation by Forbes, #11 in the nation for two-year college educational outcomes by WalletHub.com, a top-150 two-year college for the fifth consecutive time by the Aspen Institute, and a top 10 Bellwether Award finalist.

Approximately 800 students graduate from LTC each year, and LTC’s associate degree graduates earn a median salary of $47,800* per year. In addition to the Cleveland campus, LTC serves students in Manitowoc and Sheboygan, and offers classes at additional sites throughout the district. Visit LTC at gotoltc.edu.

*Source: 2019 LTC Graduate Outcomes report, 795 graduates contacted to complete the survey; 508 graduates or 64% completed the survey.