![2014 SkillsUSA national winners]()
In June, two students from Elizabethtown Community and Technical College’s Springfield Campus competed at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Mo., where they won a silver medal in mechatronics.
Cory Medley, 26, from Loretto, and Cole Richardson, 20, from Bardstown, also completed their associate’s degrees from ECTC in industrial maintenance and electrical technology. Richardson served as president of ECTC Springfield’s SkillsUSA chapter.
SkillsUSA is a program that creates a partnership between students, teachers and industry to facilitate a skilled workforce in America.
“It’s a national organization that offers opportunities for students to demonstrate occupational and leadership skills at regional, state and national competitions,” said Phil Roberts, program coordinator for industrial maintenance and faculty advisor for SkillsUSA at ECTC Springfield.
Medley and Richardson competed in mechatronics, which includes assembling, adjusting and testing an automated machine system. “We had a one-hour written test, and two three-hour build sessions where we put a machine together with prints and schematics to build to specifications,” Medley said. After running the machine, the students then worked on troubleshooting to get the bugs out. “The build was definitely more difficult than the written test,” he said.
Medley and Richardson earned the highest scores for their section on the written test and second build. “They were so close to winning gold,” Roberts said.
Medley and Richardson formed their team last fall and have participated three times in SkillsUSA competitions, winning medals each time. They also competed in the regional competition, where they were awarded a silver medal; and at state, where they won gold. “They only pick one team from the state competition to go to nationals,” Medley said.
To prepare for the national competition, the students put in extra time studying and practicing. “A lot of the hard skills we learned from class,” Richardson said, “but we spent the two weeks before nationals working at night.”
“They went above and beyond normal class hours,” Roberts said, “even working and planning on the drive to the competition.”
The competition was tough, with no room for errors or distractions, Roberts said.
The students’ focus paid off. “I was excited to win,” Medley said. “We were given an opportunity to showcase all the skills we’ve learned and all the time and effort we’ve put in to training.”
“It was awesome to win,” Richardson agreed.
But the competition isn’t just about the medals. It also is a resume builder and a place to network with businesses recruiting new talent.
“The competition was sponsored by national and international corporations. Even they realize the importance of recognizing skilled students,” Roberts said. “There are more jobs offered than there are people to fill them.”
In fact, after competing Medley was offered and has accepted a position as maintenance technician from Nissan in Nashville.
“The opportunities for advancement are endless,” Medley said. “It’s a world-class facility, with huge advancements in technology, which will create a whole new world of learning to help me better myself.”
Medley also plans to continue his education beyond the associate’s degree he received from ECTC and study engineering, as does Richardson, who now is a student at the University of Kentucky studying electrical engineering.
“Cole is a go-getter in that he sets his eyes on something and goes and gets it,” Roberts said. “And Cory is driven to be successful. He came in with a goal and did it, working 50 to 60 hours a week and going to school and doing well at both.”
Both Medley and Richardson have left their mark on their college, as well as their advisor. “Only once in a lifetime do you get a Cole and Cory in your classrooms,” Roberts said. “Proud doesn’t even describe it. These students and this campus have consistently exceeded expectations.”
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ECTC SILVER MEDAL WINNERS --- Elizabethtown Community and Technical College graduates Cory Medley and Cole Richardson, both of whom attended ECTC’s Springfield Campus, recently competed in Mechantronics at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, MO, where they won a silver medal. Pictured from left are Cole Richardson, ECTC Springfield SkillsUSA faculty advisor Phil Roberts; and Cory Medley.