Nolan and Trenton will compete at the National Championships this June in Louisville, Kentucky.From Omaha WOWT
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) -- Working with your hands, greasy and covered in sawdust, these are jobs in the trades that are in demand. Thursday, high school and college students from across the state converged on Omaha to put those skills to the test. Drive to succeed grew stronger for student on Thursday; inside the Century Link Center over 1,000 high school and college students were competing in 80 different competitions. The Skills USA Nebraska State Championships hosted events from precision cutting, carpentry, welding, metal work and even baking. Event organizers said for competitors it’s not just about the contest itself, it’s also about prepping for the future. Just ask Jason Laughlin who already works as a diesel mechanic. WOWT 6 News cameras caught up with him while he was inspecting a semi-truck. "I was inspecting the truck, essentially a DOT inspection trying to find anything wrong from cracks in the windshield to a missing fire extinguisher," Laughlin. Skills USA helps these students preparing for careers just like the ones they are competing in. There was also a Team Building event with four categories in one. It included electrical work, plumbing, masonry and carpentry. "They work together to build a project just like you would see in the real world,” said MCC Construction Tech Instructor Trevor Secora. The group gets a set of plans they put into action, just like a job site. Soon they could be getting paid to do the same thing. "The opportunities for employment for these guys right now, we have contractors looking to hire our students all the time," said Secora. Until then, they continue laying a firm foundation, one brick at a time. Some of the best from Thursday's Skills USA competition will move on to compete nationally. Some will earn prizes and scholarships.
