Judging the SkillsUSA Championships

The SkillsUSA Championships are competitive events. They showcase the best technical education students in the nation. Before a student can reach the national level of competition, he or she must compete and win locally and in his or her entire state. The mission of the SkillsUSA Championships is to recognize and honor students for excellence, to engage industry professionals in directly evaluating student performance and to ensure that student instruction and training remains relevant to employers’ needs. 

Business and industry partner to support these events and invest approximately $36 million. More than 6,500 students competed in 103 events last year. SkillsUSA Competition is proud to have almost 2,000 judges and contest organizers from labor and management industries. They make this national competition possible.

Christine DaSilva, our color expert, had the honor of judging, evaluating and grading the SkillsUSA Championships event held in Framingham’s Joseph P. Keefe Technical School. It was a full day of watching the students closely as they worked in different areas of our trade. In the competition, the students taped drywall and skim coated it to cover the tape and tape edges. They also painted walls and trim-of course. The students also installed wallcovering, which is definitely is not an easy undertaking. The students also practiced their hand at sign-making. Hand-painted signs are an art. It takes a very skilled craftsperson to form and execute perfect letters in the perfect size, shape, spacing and design.

At Larkin Painting Company, we think it is important to make and maintain connections with competitive trade schools. It is crucial for students to see the different types of companies that may be offering apprenticeships to them in the future. Apprenticeships allow graduates the opportunity to train with experienced professionals. They can learn the trade at a workforce level. It was a wonderful experience to meet all of the students and to have a peek at the next generation of craftspeople.

Be well,

Christine