Seven Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) students won gold and silver medals at the annual SkillsUSA State Championships held recently in Atlanta. 

The GNTC students competed against students from other technical colleges in Georgia. The competition allowed students to take the skills, knowledge, and experience that they have gained in their program of study and apply it to a real-world project based on industry standards. 

“We are very proud of our students,” said Michael Myers, lead advisor for the SkillsUSA organization at GNTC. “They did a great job of recruiting for SkillsUSA and they did a lot of community service around the college and community.” 

Listed are the SkillsUSA Georgia gold medal winners from GNTC (student’s name, program of study, campus, and hometown) 

Austin Hill, Automotive Service Technology, Walker County Campus, Crandall

Ashtin Pope, Technical Drafting, Walker County Campus, Chickamauga

Dillon Worley, Welding, Floyd County Campus, Summerville

 Listed are the SkillsUSA Georgia silver medal winners from GNTC: 

  Patrick Hayes, Chapter Display, Walker County Campus, Chickamauga

Logan Hendricks, Chapter Display, Walker County Campus, Rossville

Serra Hendricks, Chapter Display, Walker County Campus, Rossville

Patrick Keith, Technical Drafting, Walker County Campus, Ringgold 

The three gold medal winners will compete at the national level, June 22-27, in Louisville, Ky. 

“They will not only represent GNTC at nationals; they will represent the State of Georgia,” said Myers. 

SkillsUSA is a national, nonprofit student organization that has developed more than 10 million workers through active partnerships between employers, educators, and industry leaders.  SkillsUSA programs include local, state and national competitions in which students demonstrate occupational and leadership skills. At the annual national-level SkillsUSA Championships, nearly 6,000 students compete in 99 occupational and leadership skill areas. 

Since 1962, Georgia Northwestern Technical College has been instrumental in providing quality workforce education to the citizens of Northwest Georgia. The mission of Georgia Northwestern Technical College is to provide accessible, high quality technical education and workforce development opportunities.  Serving the nine counties of Catoosa; Chattooga; Dade; Floyd; Gordon; Murray; Polk; Walker; and Whitfield, GNTC has five convenient campus locations in Floyd, Gordon, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties. With programs of study in business, health, industrial, and public service available, students have the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree, diploma, or a certificate from GNTC.  This past year, 14,562 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. With an annual credit enrollment of 8,249 students, GNTC is the largest college in Northwest Georgia and the fifth largest technical college in the state of Georgia. GNTC has an additional enrollment of 6,313 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start.