CAREERLINE TECH CENTER STUDENT WINS SILVER IN NATIONAL DIESEL EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY COMPETITION
Holland, MI-Careerline Tech Center Diesel/Heavy Equipment Mechanics program student and recent homeschooled graduate Gavin Grifhorst won the silver medal in the Diesel Equipment Technology competition at the 2024 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference on June 24 – 28 in Atlanta, GA.
In April, Grifhorst won the State of Michigan SkillsUSA Diesel Equipment Technology competition to qualify for the National contest. He continued to meet his Tech Center instructors during the summer to prepare for the competition.
The SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference is the largest skill competition in the world with more than 6,000 state champion high school students from around the country competing head-to-head in 115 skilled and leadership competitions. During the event, students demonstrated technical skills and knowledge in various areas, including engines, drivetrain components, braking systems, electrical and more. Students are also evaluated in a mock employment interview.
“This is a very intense competition with students rotating through each task and are only given 25 minutes to complete the objective,” Kevin Wiersma, Diesel/Heavy Equipment Mechanics Instructor for Careerline Tech Center, said. “Some segments are impossible to finish in that time frame so students are judged on how much they can complete. Gavin clearly rose to the occasion!”
Wiersma added that Gavin was an excellent student both in the classroom and on lab projects. “He followed through to the highest level which helped him succeed in and out of the classroom. He has a bright future ahead of him.”
Grifhorst is currently employed in the diesel field and looking forward to continuing to learn new skills and grow in his career.
For more information, contact Michelle Ready, mready@oaisd.org or 616-738-8940, ext. 4093.
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen the nation’s skilled workforce. Driven by employer demand, SkillsUSA helps students develop necessary personal and workplace skills along with technical skills grounded in academics. This SkillsUSA Framework empowers every student to succeed at work and in life, while helping to close the skills gap in which millions of positions go unfilled. Through SkillsUSA’s championships program and curricula, employers have ensured schools are teaching relevant technical skills, and with SkillsUSA’s new credentialing process, they can now assess how ready potential employees are for the job. For more information: www.skillsusa.org.
About Careerline Tech Center
Operated by Ottawa Area ISD, Careerline Tech Center prepares high school juniors and seniors for tomorrow's workforce by providing career and technical education in 29 career areas. CTC serves students from public and private high schools, as well as those who are homeschooled, within the following local school districts: Allendale, Coopersville, Grand Haven, Hamilton, Holland, Hudsonville, Jenison, Saugatuck, Spring Lake, West Ottawa, and Zeeland. www.CareerlineTech.org
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