Paso High to host regional Skills USA competition
On Saturday, Feb. 7, Paso Robles High School will be hosting the SkillsUSA Region 2 Leadership and Skill Conference. Over 400 students, representing eight high schools, Allan Hancock College, and Cuesta College, will compete in more than 50 occupational skills contests.
Denise Conte of Paso Robles High School prepares for the Skills USA Regional Competition to be held this weekend at PRHS. The regionals are moving south from Salinas, where they’ve been held in recent years. Photo by Dick Mason
This is the first time Paso Robles High School will be hosting this prestigious contest. Competitions will occur from 9 a.m. to noon on the Paso Robles High School main campus, and at the Paso Schools Culinary Academy. Winners will move on to the SkillsUSA California State Conference to be held in San Diego in April.
A wide range of skill areas will be tested, including automotive, culinary, early childhood education, information technology, dental assisting and welding. Local business, industry, community, and educational leaders will be on hand to judge the contests, offering a unique opportunity to witness local students demonstrate quality work and a professional ethics.
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. Safety practices and procedures – an area of great concern to labor and management alike – constitute a portion of a contestant’s score during judging.
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.
Randy Canaday, who teaches at Paso
Robles High School and helps coordinate the Skills USA program.
