NCK Tech (North Central Kansas Technical College) is pleased to announce two students were awarded National Championship medals during the 50th Annual Skills USA National Leadership and Skills Conference, held on June 23-27, 2014 in Kansas City, MO. Curtis Anderson, Burr Oak, a 2014 graduate of the NCK Tech Beloit campus welding program, achieved first place in the Welding competition and Cris Hayes, Clay Center, a 2014 graduate of the Information Technology program, placed first in the Computer Maintenance competition. The NCK Tech Welding Fabrication Team earned a Silver Medal in the Welding Fabrication team competition.

Nine students from NCK Tech attended conference, which provided an opportunity for career and technical education students to showcase their skills and connect with business and industry leaders and employers. The conference attracted approximately 15,000 students, teachers, educational leaders, labor union and industry representatives from across the nation. More than 6,000 outstanding career and technical education students – all state contest winners – competed in 99 different trade, technical and leadership fields. In the competition, students work against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations like electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting and culinary arts. Contests are run with the help of industry, trade associations, and labor organizations, and test competencies are set by industry.

NCK Tech students competed in six competitive areas; five students earned a place within the top 10 in their respective competitions.

Competitive areas, NCK Tech student (hometown), placement, are as follows:

Welding – Curtis Anderson (Burr Oak) 1st place (1/36)

Computer Maintenance – Cris Hayes (Clay Center) 1st place (1/26)

Welding Fabrication Team – 2nd place (2/23)

Joseph Pfeifer (Hays)
Jacob Arnold (Bennington)
Joel Hayes (Rose Hill)

Electronics Technology – Matthew Gamble (Scott City) – 12th place

Telecommunications and Cabling – John Haist (Miltonvale)—12th place

Industrial Motor Controls – Derek Legleiter (Hays) –16th place

Automotive Refinishing Technology – Chris Hadsall (Maple Hill) – 20th place