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In a display of technical mastery and competitiveness, Aims Community College Automotive Collision Repair and Refinishing students soared to the top of the SkillsUSA Colorado Competition, sweeping the event with a haul of eight medals. They are now gearing up for a shot at national glory in Atlanta this June.
Six students competed in the SkillsUSA Colorado Competition held in Pueblo in April. “They did fantastic and made us look great, " said Mike Hanscome, an Aims automotive instructor and advisor for the SkillsUSA team. “They worked their butts off, and at the end of the week, it paid off. They all got to stand on the podium.”
Each Aims student who competed was placed in the top three of their category and received medals. In total, the team won eight medals in the statewide competition.
Aims medalists include:
Post-Secondary Collision Repair
Mario Saenz | gold first place
Post-Secondary Refinishing
Kayleigh Kerr | gold first place
Drew Ayres | silver second place
Jesse Manuel | bronze third place
Post-Secondary Facility Management
Drew Ayres | gold first place
Jesse Manuel | silver second place
Kris Ried | bronze third place
Secondary Refinishing
Lucian Simpson | bronze third place
The three gold medalists, Mario Saenz, Drew Ayres and Kayleigh Kerr, will represent Colorado in the SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta, June 24-28. It’s the first time any of these students have had an opportunity to compete nationally.
One of the things that Saenz is looking forward to is the networking opportunities at the SkillsUSA Conference. “I love meeting with a whole bunch of industry professionals and talking to them about their jobs, their companies and all the different technologies,” he said.
Saenz has been working on the skills that will be tested at nationals. The extra practice is helping him attain his goals and continue to gain industry experience. Skills USA participants receive more one-on-one coaching and guidance from the instructors, including Hanscome and Kyle Cadarette. “They are so helpful, Saenz said. “They have given me some tips and tricks and have also given me a good amount of practice to allow me to sharpen my skills to show at the competition.”
Ayres encourages other students to participate in SkillsUSA, “if you're in a position where you can go to this competition, you should do it just because it's a free education.”
Ayres had wanted to make it to nationals in the refinishing category but placed second. He didn’t expect to win in the facility management event but was pleasantly surprised. Ayres attributes his professional experience to his success in the event. “I did good because I deal with management stuff daily,” he said. He is researching facility management best practices and practicing scenarios to prepare for the competition. Ayres hopes to return to the national competition next year to compete in refinishing.
This is Kerr's final year of eligibility to compete in SkillsUSA. She pushed hard to make it to the national finals and succeeded. In 2022 and 2023, she placed second in state and making it to first place is something she has been working on achieving. “I just, it's like an addiction you get here and you love it. Then you can't stop,” she said.
Kerr advises other students who want to compete in contests such as SkillsUSA. “If there's somebody who knows something that you don't, ask questions, make yourself better. Don't sit around waiting for it to happen.”
The SkillsUSA Championships is the premier showcase of America’s most highly skilled career and technical education students. It’s also one of the world's largest hands-on workforce development events. Held in conjunction with SkillsUSA’s National Leadership & Skills Conference each June, this event features over 6,000 state champions from across the United States competing head-to-head in 115 skilled and leadership competitions.
Aims has a process for students to attend conferencing and networking events, like SkillsUSA. The cost of the conference, travel, accommodations and more were paid for by the college. Students in all programs have opportunities to apply to attend academic and skill-building programs and get fully funded by the college.
Aims Community College automotive degree programs are nationally recognized and certified in secondary and post-secondary educational systems with the National Automotive Technicians and Education Foundation accreditation. The Aims Automotive and Technology Center is on the Windsor Campus. Get more information at aims.co/automotive.
