Central Georgia Technical College Dual Enrollment students from area high schools competed in the second annual Skills Challenge in early November, helping to promote construction trades, and bring recognition to their acquisition of trade skills.

The Central Georgia and Southern Crescent Workforce Development Alliances’ second annual Skills Challenge took place at the Kiwanis Fairgrounds in Griffin, Ga. Several hundred students from more than a dozen high schools competed, including many from dual enrollment programs in Baldwin, Putnam, Jones, Bibb, Houston, and Peach counties and counties in the Southern Crescent Technical College service area attended.

Mike Engel, dean of Aerospace, Trade, and Industry division, who was involved in putting on the competition, said the event was a “huge success,” and that the achievements of these students are of merit.

Students regularly show-off their skills at events across the state in competitions sponsored by technical education organizations like SkillsUSA. Although not an official SkillsUSA event, many schools brought students used to competing to the Skills Challenge.

Challenges ranged from welding, construction, masonry, electrical, and plumbing disciplines. SkillsUSA is a technical education organization in high schools and colleges nationwide. Members routinely compete in various industry disciplines in support of career and technical education.

Mary Persons High School in Monroe County dominated most of the competition areas. In Welding, Baldwin High School’s Dustin Reed and Arthur Raber competed with Reed taking second overall. Putnam County High School saw one of its own take first place in Welding; Jackson Batchelor.

“Jackson has been a dedicated student in the welding program at CGTC while devoting every minute of his class time in perfecting his welding skills.  His accomplishment of being in 1st place is because of his very high work-ethics in the classroom and his ability to never settle for mediocracy,” said his instructor for CGTC at PCHS, Aaron Clark.