Dell Hoffmeister (Center) wins the State Championship in SkillsUSA Carpentry Contest.
Congratulations to Salem High School Junior, Dell Hoffmeister, for winning the State Championship in SkillsUSA Carpentry by 125 points. Dell will compete in the National Championship Competition in Louisville, Kentucky in June. Dell is a student in the new Construction Trades Program which only began in September 2018.
More than 2,300 career and technical education students from high schools and colleges across the state competed at SkillsUSA Missouri’s State Leadership and Skills Conference, April 4-6, at State Technical College of Missouri in Linn. The students participated in more than 150 contests.
“These students are demonstrating more than just their technical skills; they are showing they also have the workplace and personal skills needed for career success,” said Joey Baker, state executive director of SkillsUSA Missouri. “We are proud of this talented group of students for their dedication to excellence in their trades.”
During the competition, students worked against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations – such as carpentry, information technology, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, welding, automotive service, nursing, culinary arts and more. The contests are conducted with the help of industry experts, trade associations and labor organizations. The competitions test competencies that are set by professional industry standards.
The winners will go on to compete in the national SkillsUSA Championships this June in Louisville, Ky.
The SkillsUSA Championships are competitive events showcasing the best career and technical education students in the nation. Contests begin locally and continue through the state and national levels.
Through an investment from business and industry partners of approximately $36 million, the event occupies a space equivalent to 20 football fields. In 2018, there were more than 6,500 contestants in 103 separate events. Nearly 2,000 judges and contest organizers from labor and management make the national event possible.
The philosophy of the Championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers’ needs.
A list of the competition categories is available online at www.skillsusamo.org or statetechmo.edu.