A group of standout students from St. Cloud Technical & Community College (SCTCC) in Minnesota is heading to the national stage after winning first place in state-level automotive and technical skills competitions during the annual Minnesota SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference.
The six students -- Kaden George of Delano, William Kuhn from Monticello, Zech Anderson from Princeton, Lucas Kunstleben from Brainerd, LJ Olsen from Foley, and Cade Barringer from Becker -- secured top spots in their respective categories and will advance to the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference. The event will take place June 23-27 in Atlanta, GA.
SkillsUSA is a nationwide organization that supports students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. With more than 413,000 students and instructors involved, the competition serves as a critical platform for showcasing career-ready talent.
Competitors from SCTCC displayed their expertise across several disciplines, including automotive refinishing, service technology, heating and air conditioning, and heavy truck maintenance. Among the notable achievements:
• Lucas Kunstleben, a high school student, placed first in Automotive Refinishing Technology and second in Collision Repair Technology.
• LJ Olsen, from Foley, earned first place in Automotive Service Technology.
With this success, SCTCC continues to be a contributor to the development of future professionals in the automotive and technical trades.
