Skills USA

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure that America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student excel.  SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. It was formerly known as VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America).

For More information about this great organization, which is not just for the Welding Technology students, please see: http://skillsusa.org/.  You can support the Welding Department’s SkillsUSA activities by helping us with funds to purchase practice materials and cover travel costs to state and national competitions.  Donations to the ACC Welding Department SkillsUSA budget can be made via the ACC Marketplace.

SkillsUSA 2024:

ACC Round Rock produced the first all female welding fabrication team in ACC history as well as SkillsUSA Texas history for postsecondary, which won 2nd in the state for team fabrication their first time competing.

SkillsUSA 2018:  ACC Sweeps Metal Sculpture category and takes First Place in Team Fabrication!

Above:  Metal sculptors Edith Disler, Michael Miller, and Robert Feller.  Below:  Fabrication team Thomas Hinkle, Jr, Ben Roark, and Kyle Gross

ACC Welding Technology students competed against welders from across Texas on Saturday, April 14th, in the SkillsUSA competition.  All awards for metal sculpture went to ACC students, with Michael Miller winning first place, Edith Disler winning second, and Robert Feller winning third.  Our technical fabrication team consists of Kyle Gross, Thomas Hinkle Jr, and Ben Roark.  This team brought home first place for their fabrication skills.  Michael Miller and our fabrication team will go on to compete at the national level in the SkillsUSA National Competition this summer in Kentucky.  We are immensely proud of our students’ accomplishments and admire the dedication that it takes them to dominate at these competitions.

SkillsUSA 2017:  Winners at State, on our way to Nationals again!

ACC Welding Technology students once again made the college proud by excelling in the Texas State Competition  this April.  Robert Feller won first place in Welded Sculpture.  Bret Sunvison and Ben Cano won first and second places, respectively, in the Individual Welding Competition.  ACC also winning third place in Team Fabrication were Ben Roark, Kyle Gross, and Thomas Hinkle, Jr.  Thanks to you all, and to our dedicated faculty who make this possible.  ACC will compete on the national level at this summer’s SkillsUSA competition in Kentucky.  Good Luck!!

SkillsUSA 2016:  Champs again!

Sarah Stork with Tarpon
Sarah Stork with 1st place medal for Welded Steel Sculpture “Tarpon”

ACC Welding students Brett Sunvison and Sarah Stork won awards at the SkillsUSA Texas competition this spring, entitling them to compete at the national level in Kentucky.  Sarah won first place nationally in the metal sculpture competition for her piece titled Tarpon.  Brett placed 16th nationally.  Both Sarah and Brett will go on to represent ACC in the international SkillsUSA competition.

 Skills USA 2015

Sarah Stork with 2nd place medal for Welded Steel Sculpture

State Skills champs August Brauer and Sarah Stork represented ACC Welding Technology at the National SkillsUSA Championships on June 24th and 25th.  Sarah Stork placed 2nd in the Welded Steel Sculpture contest with her piece “Tex” (a steel longhorn bull). This piece is truly something to behold. Mrs. Stork has also shown this piece (pictured below with Dr. Rhodes) at the ACC Annual Student Art Show where she won the President’s Award. This piece will soon be a part of the ACC Permanent Art Gallery and will likely be on loan in President Rhodes’ office for a long time to come.

 

August Brauer and Thomas Hinkle, faculty advisor
August Brauer and Thomas Hinkle, faculty advisor

August Brauer placed 6th in the Individual Welding contest among the top 2% of our nation’s welding students. Mr. Brauer qualified for the WorldSkills trials where he will compete against top competitors spanning a two year period for an opportunity to become the one and only representative for the United states of America.

State Competition 2015

ACC’s Welding Technology students exceed expectations at the Texas State Skills USA competition in the areas of individual welders, team fabrication, and metal sculpture!

The following students are champions from the three different areas:

Metal Sculpture: Sarah Stork- First Place
Metal Sculpture: Robert Feller- Second Place
Individual Welder: August Brauer- First Place
Individual Welder: Kevin Wilcox- Second Place
Welding Fabrication: (team event): Robert Feller, Chris Smith, and Anthony Urbanovsky- Second Place

Sarah Stork and August Brauer will be moving on to compete in the Skills USA National Championships. Thank you, and congratulations!

Skills USA 2014

Once again ACC’s Welding Technology students excelled at the Texas State Skills USA competition:

  • The following students earned medals in the state competition:
  • Ashton Sarger- First Place, Individual Welding
    Colton Buntin- Second Place, Individual Welding
  • Shawn Quinten Rhea- First Place, Welded Sculpture
    Eric Vazquez- Second Place, Welded Sculpture

Ashton Sarger and Shawn Quinten Rhea will be going on to represent ACC and the state of Texas at the National SkillsUSA Championships this June. In many cases their work is just beginning!

This is only possible with the endless support of many individuals in the Welding Technology Department. Thank you, and congratulations!

Skills USA 2013

Once again ACC’s Welding Technology students succeeded at the Texas State Skills USA competition!

The following students are champions from the three different areas:

Metal Sculpture: John Burleson- First Place
Metal Sculpture: Ryan Allen- Second Place
Welding Fabrication: (team event): Ashton Sarger, Daniel Martinez, Chuck Baish- First Place

Many Skills USA students participated in the Applied Technologies’ Open House event on April 12th, 2013. They fabricated several projects in advance which were snapped up in a silent auction to raise funds for the upcoming trip to the Skills USA National Championships in Kansas City, MO. Thank you, and congratulations!

Skills USA 2012

The Welding Department is proud to congratulate our 2012 State Skills USA competitors and champions on a job well done! Friday March 28th numerous welding students competed in three welding-related contests to determine who will represent Texas at the 2012 Skills USA National Championshipsthis June in Kansas City.

The following students are champions from the three different areas:

Individual Welding: Daniel Wilson- First Place
Metal Sculpture: Ryan Allen- Second Place
Fabrication: (team event): Tommy McDow, Brandon Lemon, Ashton Sarger- Third Place

Also representing ACC in the competition were:

Andrew Sinclair & Curtis West- Individual Welding Contest Competitors
Mike Reyna, Miguel Garcia, & Lucas Kempster – Welding Fabrication
Chad Earwood, Daniel Martinez, & Wade Rogers – Welding Fabrication