Lee Troxell is the owner of Troxell Media, a design and marketing firm based in Virginia Beach. He is also a Digital Design teacher for the Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ Advanced Technology Center (ATC). The ATC was built to help meet the demand among Hampton Roads’ employers for a well-trained and educated workforce, but…
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Cesar Ibarra serves as an Associate Professor/Lead Instructor at Texas State Technical College, where he specializes in cybersecurity. To address the skills gap in the United States, Cesar believes that college students should be provided the opportunity to take part in job shadowing in order to see and understand why certain topics are important to…
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With 30 years in the culinary industry under his belt, Greg Beachey is currently employed by Youthentity. Greg has managed and overseen the SkillsUSA national championship for the past ten years, exemplifying his passion for youth culinary competitions. His experience with these competitions allows him to connect not only with the top young culinarians in…
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Alden “JR” Colvin is currently an instructor at Madison Area Technical College. With more openings than skilled workers in the CNC job market, gaining visibility among students who might be interested in entering the field is critical. JR believes partnering with SkillsUSA and education facilities is an excellent way to raise awareness and increase opportunities…
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James Redd believes the WorldSkills competition will show competitors that hard work and dedication really does pay off, and competing will be a lifelong source of pride. James says that he doesn’t believe there is a shortage in skilled laborers, just not enough patience or mentoring of novice tradesmen. He believes the veteran laborer must…
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Jeff Molzahn is currently a Cabinetmaking instructor at the Madison Area Technical College, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Administration in 1979. He’s worked in the industry for 25 years, having taught night classes before becoming a full-time instructor in 2005. With SkillsUSA always being a part of the cabinetmaking program…
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With more than 20 years of experience, Todd Hartsell enjoys helping students who share his love for bricklaying. He has been a masonry instructor at Cabarrus County Schools in the Charlotte area since 1997, is certified by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) and was a SkillsUSA advisor before becoming a WorldSkills…
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Julie Ivan is a culinary instructor for the Saginaw Public School System in Michigan. She has also been a bakery expert for the WorldSkills USA team since 2015 and believes the WorldSkills competition instills the ability to work in a diverse world, interacting with people from other countries and forming an “everlasting” network to their…
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Mike Elder has worked on automotive vehicles for as long as he can remember, starting with his father in their home garage. After graduating from Pittsburg State University with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Arts Education, he was hired by Unified School District 250 Pittsburg Community Schools to teach high school automotive technology, a…
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Jerry Goodson is a Collision Repair Trainer for the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR). During his career, Jerry has witnessed students gain tremendous respect for their trades, and he enjoys encouraging students to learn work habits that make them efficient workers. Jerry believes highly skilled jobs can be rewarding and provide many opportunities…
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