I had a spare moment in between visitors at our CVIT STEMFest booth this year, when 2nd year CVIT student Sam Hogan asked me to fill him in on what EAC Skills Day was all about. He had heard about it from his Welding instructor, Mr. Ernie Baca. "EAC Skills Day", I told him, "is an annual tradition at Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, where hundreds of students from around the state converge to test their skills against each other in over forty different events ranging from Biology to Welding to Manufacturing and Nursing." Ok, maybe I didn't say it like that, because who really talks that way? You get the idea, though. Sam seemed intrigued, we chatted some more, and by the time we parted ways, I was pretty confident that Sam had decided to attend.
Part of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) model is to assure that students have hands-on experience that directly relates to the industry they are studying. Much of this is done while in the classroom, however, CVIT administrators and staff also firmly believe that experiences outside of the classroom, such as EAC Skills Day, or competitions sponsored by Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO's) can really enrich a student's experience. While any awards that students earn at EAC Skills Day do not necessarily impact their grade (hey, maybe they should, Mr. Baca!), students can earn medals and bragging rights as well as valuable skills they can add to their resumes when they begin job seeking. They also have the opportunity to network with other like minded students, and meet potential employers and or industry mentors, which can lead to future career opportunities.
I was thrilled to learn today that Sam earned the ultimate bragging rights today at EAC Skills Day, when he placed 1st in the GMAW-MIG Welding competition! Fantastic job, Sam! We are so proud of you, and thankful to Eastern Arizona College, Mr. Baca, and the Globe High School counseling team for creating this opportunity for our students to attend the event today. We look forward to the bright future that we know Sam has ahead!