Aerotek and SkillsUSA Award “Make Your Mark” Scholarships

Media Contacts for SkillsUSA:
Jane Short or Karen Kitzel, 703-777-8810
Email: jshort@skillsusa.org or kkitzel@skillsusa.org

Scholarships Allow Students to Pursue Upskilling Opportunities, Improve Economic Outcomes 

Leesburg, Va., April 15, 2024 — SkillsUSA has partnered with Aerotek, a leading staffing and services provider in the manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation and facility management industries, to provide 62 “Make Your Mark” scholarships to SkillsUSA members toward tuition for the spring 2024 semester. The scholarships were awarded in December 2023.

The scholarship program supports the SkillsUSA career model and aligns with SkillsUSA and Aerotek’s shared strategic goal to expand the skilled workforce and remove barriers of entry for the future generation of workers. The two organizations first partnered in 2021 and have now awarded more than 200 scholarships through the “Make Your Mark” scholarship program, which was launched in 2023.

Aerotek invests in the communities it serves by establishing partnerships that help empower people to achieve both their personal and professional aspirations. SkillsUSA and Aerotek’s “Make Your Mark” scholarships are providing financial assistance for those in need to pursue continued skills education and improved economic outcomes.

“There is a critical need for underserved populations to receive skills training,” said Chelle Travis, executive director at SkillsUSA. “These scholarships help to fulfill that need and we are grateful to Aerotek for providing them to our students. Working together with Aerotek, we can help close the skills gap.”

“Businesses in every industry we serve are threatened by the skilled labor shortage,” said Aerotek President Tom Kelly. “We are proud to partner with SkillsUSA and offer “Make Your Mark” scholarships to help bridge the skills gap and put these scholars in a position to pursue a meaningful career.”

The SkillsUSA-Aerotek “Make Your Mark” scholarship program has awarded scholarships of up to $5,000 each to SkillsUSA members in the following trade areas: Arts, A/V and Communications (Telecommunications Cabling only); Architecture & Construction; Information Technology; Manufacturing; STEM; and Transportation. These scholarships are not for four-year schools. The 2024 Aerotek scholarship recipients include:

Alabama

Jayce Ables, Bevill State Community College
Karrie Abney, Gadsden State Community College
Tracey Bailey, Gadsden State Community College
Jeremy (Michael) Higginbotham, Bevill State Community College
Hannia Lopez, Gadsden State Community College
Brodie Woods, Jefferson State Community College

California

Illiana Abarca, Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Rene Arroyo, Miramar Community College – San Diego
David Barrios-Diaz, Miramar Community College – San Diego
Richard Fernandez, Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Armando Jurado, Miramar Community College – San Diego
Charles McDaniel, Miramar Community College – San Diego
Sylvia Ramirez, Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Anna Rigby, Miramar Community College – San Diego
Gustavo Santisteban, Los Angeles Trade Technical College

Georgia

Bryan Cortes, Savannah Technical College

Idaho

Sydney Beamis, North Idaho College
Jezariah Bicknell, North Idaho College
Chris Lahti, North Idaho College

Illinois

Shania Beltran, Waubonsee Community College
Desiree Quintero, Waubonsee Community College

Iowa

Keara Millsap, Kirkwood Community College
Jennifer Schaub, Kirkwood Community College
Henry Schmidt, Kirkwood Community College

Louisiana

Thomas Gaspard, Nunez Community College

Michigan

Antonio Ellias, Macomb Community College
Brian Gonzalez, Oakland Community College
Brandon Rus, Oakland Community College
Daniel Velasquez, Oakland Community College

Minnesota

Ethan Tesarek, Alexandria Technical and Community College
Matthew Nickles, Lake Superior College

Missouri

Matthew Aven, Ranken Technical College
Colson Deevers, Ranken Technical College
Christopher Greenwade, St. Louis Community College
Claudis (Sean) Kirby, St. Louis Community College
Alexis Martinez, St. Louis Community College
James Tyrus, Ranken Technical College
Evan Welch, Saint Louis Community College
Diane Young, Saint Louis Community College

North Carolina

Canyon Echerd, Catawba Valley Community College
Brayden Shook, Catawba Valley Community College

Tennessee

James Banks, Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Jackson
Scott Mull, Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Knoxville
Cooper Watkins, Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Knoxville

Texas

Daniela Arteaga, Dallas College
Cameo Bruce, Texas State Technical College
Orlando Bultes, Texas State Technical College
Jovanni Rubio Contrearas, Texas State Technical College
Isabella Crawford, Texas State Technical College
Chris Fland, Collin College
Rolando Garcia, Texas State Technical College
Felipe Maldonado, San Jacinto College – Central Campus
Robert Roque, Texas State Technical College
Fryda Salinas, Dallas College
Christopher Sanchez, Texas State Technical College
Destiny Valadez, Collin College
James Vaughan, Collin College
Winferd Vermillion, Collin College
Eric Williams, Dallas College

Washington

Onasis Ocampo Mendoza, North Idaho College

Wisconsin

Dominic Lange, Moraine Park Technical College
Nicolas Saari, Madison College – Atkinson

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is America’s proud champion of the skilled trades. It’s a student-led partnership of education and industry that’s building the skilled workforce our nation depends on with graduates who are career ready, day one. Representing nearly 380,000 career and technical education students and teachers, SkillsUSA chapters thrive in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. SkillsUSA’s mission empowers students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. That mission is accomplished through the SkillsUSA Framework of Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics, which is integrated into classroom curriculum. Through Framework instruction, students develop the character-shaping leadership skills — teamwork, communication, professionalism and more — that successful careers and lives demand. At the same time, students hone their high-level technical skills against current industry standards in more than 130 skilled trade areas, from 3-D Animation to Welding. The result? Focused, confident and highly skilled graduates who are ready to work, ready to lead and ready to make a difference in our schools, workplaces and communities. A vital solution to the skills gap, where more in-demand skilled trades positions are available than qualified professionals to fill them, SkillsUSA has served over 14 million difference-making members since To learn more, visit www.skillsusa.org.

About Aerotek 

Aerotek® Inc. provides staffing and services solutions in manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, facilities and maintenance. We provide the expertise, solutions and people required to rise to the challenges of North American industry. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., Aerotek operates a unified network of over 250 offices across North America, supporting more than 14,000 clients each year. Aerotek is an operating company within Allegis Group, a global leader in talent solutions. To learn more, visit: Aerotek.com | 1-888-AEROTEK.