WorldSkills USA Will Go for Gold in Kazan, Russia, at Global Trade Skills Competition

Competitors will represent the United States against the greatest young talents in the world

Leesburg, Va. — SkillsUSA today revealed 22 young competitors who will represent the United States at WorldSkills, the largest international showcase of the skilled trades.

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. Its selected team members, with an average age of 19, are masters in their craft. Their dedication to training and perfecting their skills will be on display as they compete against peers from across the globe in a variety of intense skills challenges. “They come from all corners of the country, they compete for different reasons, but they are all focused on one goal: standing atop the WorldSkills podium, a gold medal hanging around their neck, and honoring the American flag as ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ fills the conference center loudspeakers,” said SkillsUSA’s executive director, Tim Lawrence. “From mechanical engineering to hairdressing to aircraft maintenance, we’ve watched these competitors gain expertise and create purpose behind their passions. We’re thrilled the WorldSkills USA team will get the chance to represent their country while excelling at a skill they love.” Every two years, competitors from 76 countries and regions around the world compete in more than 50 different trade skills at WorldSkills. The next competition will take place Aug. 22-27, 2019, in Kazan, Russia, and showcase trade skills from construction and building technology, creative arts and fashion, information and communication technology, manufacturing and engineering, social and personal services, and transportation and logistics. 3M will serve as the lead sponsor of the 2019 WorldSkills USA team. “3M and WorldSkills USA share a commitment to addressing the shortage of qualified skilled workers across many industries,” said Mojdeh Poul, executive vice president, 3M Safety and Graphics Business Group. “As a global science-based company, we recognize that science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills are the foundation for many trades. This sponsorship is about inspiring the next generation of skilled workers and supporting their efforts in Kazan.” Other proud team sponsors include Ferguson and Lowe’s. Representing the United States at the WorldSkills competition in Kazan are:

• Automobile Technology: Paul Danenberg, 21, Boise, Idaho
• Auto Body Repair: David “D.J.” Fors, 19, Lunenburg, Mass.
• Aircraft Maintenance: Alex Millikan, 22, Trinity, N.C.
• Baking: Daylan Torres, 20, Fall River, Mass.
• Bricklaying: Kelby Thornton, 19, Midland, N.C.
• Cabinetmaking: Ethan Harrison, 18, Blackfoot, Idaho
• Car Painting: Dylan Wertz, 19, Tiffin, Ohio
• CNC Milling: Scott May, 19, Port Huron, Mich.
• Cooking: Julia Spondike, 19, Lorain, Ohio
• Cyber Security: Mawadda Abuhamda, 17, Chandler, Ariz.
• Cyber Security: Jason McGee, 18, San Tan Valley, Ariz.
• Graphic Design Technology: Anthony Moore, 19, Adrian, Mich.
• Hairdressing: Rebekah Hagberg, 18, Bloomington, Ill.
• Heavy Vehicle Maintenance: Ryan Meppelink, 20, Zeeland, Mich.
• Mechanical Engineering: Benjamin Campbell, 19, Nampa, Idaho
• Mechatronics: Ryan Hittepole, 20, Albemarle, N.C.
• Mechatronics: Curt Love, 20, Oakboro, N.C.
• Plumbing and Heating: Timothy Girouard, 19, Southampton, Mass.
• Print Media: Brittany Whitestone, 20, Westminster, Md.
• Restaurant Service: Robert “Colt” Schultz, 17, League City, Texas
• Web Design: Matthew Vreman, 20, Parrish, Fla.
• Welding: Ryan Fincher, 21, Cedartown, Ga.

“This WorldSkills USA team is the largest we have ever fielded, and I have extreme confidence that their experience, training and dedication will result in them bringing home multiple medals on behalf of the United States,” Lawrence said. “We also encourage everyone to follow this amazing team on their road to Kazan @WorldSkillsUSA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and interact with them using the hashtags #WorldSkillsUSA and #RoadtoKazan.” SkillsUSA works year-round to instill positive attitudes, build self-esteem and empower over 360,000 students nationwide to excel in the career path of their choice. The organization has 600-plus national partners and is integral to the training in more than 18,000 classrooms. SkillsUSA inspires students to follow their passion in skills that are valuable to them and our country. Years of hard work supported by SkillsUSA has led these 20 competitors to the experience of a lifetime: the WorldSkills 2019 competition. The first WorldSkills competition was held in 1950 in Madrid, Spain. In 1973, President Richard M. Nixon recognized SkillsUSA (then known as VICA) as the official U.S. representative to WorldSkills. The United States and SkillsUSA have come a long way since first entering the competition in 1975. Hundreds of thousands of spectators, public policymakers, employers, teachers, trainers, technical experts and government officials from around the world will attend this biennial competition and watch the WorldSkills USA team make the United States proud.

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a vital solution to the growing U.S. skills gap. This nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry ensures America has the skilled workforce it needs to stay competitive. Founded in 1965 and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, the association serves more than 360,000 member students and instructors each year in middle schools, high schools and colleges. This diverse talent pipeline covers 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, the majority STEM-related. More than 600 corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA at the national level. SkillsUSA programs are integrated into career and technical education through a framework of personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. Local, state and national championships, designed and judged by industry, set relevant standards for career and technical education and provide needed recognition to its students. SkillsUSA also offers technical skill assessments and other workplace credentials. For additional information on the WorldSkills USA team or to donate or provide in-kind support, please visit: www.worldskillsusa.org

About WorldSkills

Since 1950, WorldSkills has come to symbolize the pinnacle of excellence in vocational training. It provides a unique means of exchange and comparison of world-class competency standards in the industrial trades and service sectors of the global economy. The continued growth of WorldSkills attests to the fact that traditional trade and craft skills, along with newer technology’s multi-skilled occupations, make an essential contribution to the economic and social well-being of people everywhere. For more information, go to: www.worldskills.org

About 3M

3M applies science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, 3M’s 91,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.