ABYC judges SkillsUSA national competition
Last week, the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), along with Yamaha Marine, participated in and judged student Marine Service Technology competitions at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, held June 24-28 in Atlanta. Winners from around the country were announced on Friday.
This annual event serves as a platform to recognize and celebrate the nation’s finest career and technical education students, with over 110 competitions and 10,000 participants in attendance. ABYC Lead Instructor Mike Bonicker and ABYC Education Director Tim Murphy served as judges.
The 2024 SkillsUSA Nationals Winners – Marine Service Technology:
- High School Gold – William Coggins, Lexington Technology Center, Lexington, S.C.
- High School Silver – Nicholas Walter, Alexandria Technical & Community College, Alexandria, Minn.
- High School Bronze – Sean Grimste, Ocean County Vo-Tech School, Toms River, N.J.
- College Gold – Luke Johnson, Alexandria Technical & Community College, Alexandria, Minn.
- College Silver – Daniel Hatvany, Manatee Tech College, Bradenton, Fla.
- College Bronze – Connor Odens, Mitchell Technical Institute, Mitchell, S.D.
The Marine Service Technology competition includes individual skill stations and a written test. ABYC developed two stations for the competition to test the competitor’s electrical knowledge.
“SkillsUSA spotlights today’s thriving trades education in America,” said Murphy. “We’re thrilled to spend these days with the students and help develop the next generation of crackerjack marine technicians. If your business is looking for skilled talent, we strongly encourage you to come judge next year and meet these driven up-and-comers for yourself.”
In addition to the marine technology competition, the SkillsUSA event also features welding, construction trades, manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, hospitality, and more.
To learn more about the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, visit www.nlsc.skillsusa.org. To learn more about ABYC’s resources for schools to establish or enhance marine service programs, visit www.teachboats.org.
