Posted: March 12, 2019Written by: Ritchie Bermudez

Cuesta College career education programs are sending eight students to compete at the state level in SkillsUSA California’s 52nd Annual State Leadership and Skill Conference. The award-winning students competed in the regional competition at Paso Robles High School on February 23rd. The next level of competition will be held at the Ontario Convention Center on April 25th– 28th.

“This marks the 15th year in a row that Cuesta College students have moved on to the statewide competition,” said John Stokes, Cuesta College’s engineering and technology division chair, who also oversees the college’s SkillsUSA team. “This speaks to the high level of skills our students and faculty consistently demonstrate and proves that our programs are among the best in the region and state.”

The 2019 regional medaling students are:

-      Gold, Jennifer Oseguera, Automotive Refinishing Technology
-      Gold, Alexandra Newsom, Criminal Justice
-      Gold, Dylan Head, Digital Cinema Production (pictured above right)
-      Gold, Chris Tack, Digital Cinema Production (pictured above left)
-      Gold, Frank Randise, Welding Fabrication
-      Gold, Braden Abatti, Welding Fabrication
-      Gold, Michael Dye, Welding Fabrication
-      Silver, Alexander Romo, Welding

This year’s SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference is set for June 24th – 28th in Louisville, KY. Last year, 10 Cuesta College students qualified for the national competition; Milan Tolani brought home the gold in early childhood education. In August 2015, alumnus Michael Mullen competed in the WorldSkills International competition, representing the United States in auto service technology. In 2011, former Cuesta College student Daniel Lehmkuhl competed in automobile technology at WorldSkills International in London.

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives, working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. For more information on SkillsUSA, visit their website. For more information about Cuesta College’s Career Education Programs, please visit bit.ly/cuestacte.