Arkansas State University-Beebe students who are enrolled in career and technical education programs on the Searcy campus, which includes the Regional Career Center high school students, competed in April at the Arkansas SkillsUSA competitions in Hot Springs.
ASU-Beebe students garnered a total of 21 awards in the following career and technical education areas:
In the job interview category, college division, Jacob Sartin, from Heber Springs, received second place and Nathan Turner, from Beebe, received third place.
In the job skills demonstration category, college division, Alex Haggard, from Mt. Vernon, received second place in ‘Job Skill Demonstration A.’
In the architectural drafting category, college division, Keith Moore, from Bee Branch, received second place.
In the CNC 3 axis milling programmer category, college division, Evan Soles, from Searcy, received second place.
In the CNC 3 axis milling programmer category, high school division, Joshua Jones, from Riverview High School, received second place.
In the diesel equipment technology category, college division, John Dumbaugh, from Conway, received third place.
In the diesel equipment technology category, high school division, Cam Kitzmiller received first place and Tate Cofer received second place. Both students are from Searcy High School.
In the electrical construction wiring category, college division, Jacob Woodard, from Searcy, received second place.
In the marine service technology category, college division, Justen Gentry, from Beebe, received second place and Johnathan Morehead, from Brockwell, received third place.
In the power sports category, college division, Hannidy Mills, from Beebe, received first place and Jared Scheel, from Beebe, received third place.
In the technical drafting category, college division, Conor Graves, from McCrory, received second place.
In the automated manufacturing technology category, college division, team members Dillon Hamilton, from Searcy, Breanna Stracner, from McCrory, and Ethan Brown, from Pangburn, received first place.
In the automated manufacturing technology category, high school division, team members Dallas Pence, Gareth Ireton and Gaebral Lewis, all from Searcy High School, received second place.
The ASU-Beebe Searcy campus serves as the hub for career and technical education and offers a broad range of programs designed to prepare students for immediate employment in high-demand fields, serving as a crucial bridge between education and industry.
“Career and technical programs are vital to industry as they equip students with the practical skills and hands-on experience necessary to meet the demands of the modern workforce,” said Dr. Cheryl Wiedmaier, dean of the Division of Career Education. “By aligning our curriculum with industry standards and trends, we ensure that our graduates are not only job-ready but also capable of contributing effectively from day one.”
Winners of the state contests have the opportunity to represent their respective schools and the state of Arkansas at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference on June 24-28 in Atlanta, Georgia. The following ASU-Beebe students will be attending this year’s national competitions: Jacob Sartin, Joshua Jones, Jacob Woodard, Hannidy Mills, Dillon Hamilton, Breanna Stracner and Ethan Brown.
SkillsUSA is a national membership association open to high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical, health and skilled service occupations.
Career Education Division Courses
ASU-Beebe offers certification and degrees in several career and technical education programs, which include agriculture, agriculture equipment (John Deere), automotive technology, business, computer-aided drafting and design (CADD), computer information systems, computer systems and networking technology (CSNT), computerized machining technology, criminal justice, diesel technology, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR), industrial technology, marine technology, power sports technology and welding technology.
Additionally, the ASU-Beebe Regional Career Center offers several career and technical education programs held at the Beebe, Heber Springs, Searcy campuses and Lonoke Business Academy to area high school students for concurrent credit.
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA serves more than 331,000 students and instructors annually. This includes 19,019 instructors who join as professional members. Including alumni, SkillsUSA membership totals over 393,000. SkillsUSA has served nearly 14 million annual members cumulatively since 1965 and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor as a successful model of employer-driven workforce development.
Share on Social Media
