Shoreline CC Automotive student headed for national skills competition

From left: Natalie Tjok, instructor Amber Avery, Caleb Bagwell,
Jeff Cromwell (T-TEN Instructor), Brian Dale, Rory Smith
Photo courtesy Shoreline CC

Shoreline Community College's automotive department recently qualified a student for the state level SkillsUSA competition. SkillsUSA is a national organization that promotes students in the trades at high school and postsecondary level to compete and showcase their skills.

The school competed for the first time in April at the competition in Pasco, Washington.

Shoreline Community College student Caleb Bagwell placed first and is going to nationals against the best automotive student from each state.

Amber Avery, Automotive Service Technician instructor at Shoreline Community College, 16101 Greenwood Ave N Shoreline 98133, reports that,

Last year I was asked by Nissan to judge at the national skillsusa competition. At that time I was unaware that students could compete at the college level. Once I knew that I wanted to take our Shoreline students to compete.

Easter weekend we loaded up four students at 4:30am Friday morning to head to Pasco for the state competition. The competition consisted of nine hands-on skills stations and an ASE (automotive service excellence) test.

Shoreline CC students placed in the top, with a Toyota T-TEN (Technician Training and Education Network) taking 1st and 3rd.

Shoreline CC automotive student Caleb Bagwell, 30, from Wenatchee, placed 1st in the state competition, qualifying for the nationals.

Shoreline student Rory Smith took third. 

Caleb will be competing at SkillsUSA nationals the week of June 24th in Louisville, KY, up against the top student from each state.

The competition goes from 8am-4pm. The stations will cover all automotive areas (Engine Repair, Engine Performance, Electrical, Automatic Transmissions, Manual Transmissions, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Brakes, and Steering Suspension and Handling)

There will be hands-on stations where the student will diagnose and identify various issues. The last piece will be a written ASE test. ASE is the nationally accredited test that automotive technicians take to show they are proficient in the theory of vehicle repair and diagnostics.

Avery says, "Our students are trained to highest industry standards. It is not uncommon for them to graduate at a much higher level than technicians who have 5-10 years on the job."