ACTC students bring home gold and silver awards at state SkillsUSA competition

Published on Apr 23, 2025

Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) students Sean Brinker and Logan Rose recently brought home gold and silver medals in the state-level SkillsUSA competition held in Louisville.

More than 1,000 career and technical education students from across Kentucky competed in various fields such as manufacturing, transportation, and construction. 

SkillsUSA is the nation’s leading workforce development organization for students, with a mission to empower them to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members. The organization’s vision is to produce the most highly skilled workforce in the world, providing every member with the opportunity for career success.

“I took second place in the regional SkillsUSA competition in both 2024 and 2025, giving me the opportunity to compete at the state conference,” said Brinker, ACTC automotive technology student. “It was at the state competition that I began to realize what a big deal this competition was, with tons of competitors from around the state facing off in a variety of different disciplines such as automotive, art, carpentry, welding, robotics and more.” 

The four-day conference gave students a chance to network with industry professionals and peers in addition to competing in their respective fields.

Brinker’s gold medal qualifies him to compete at the national level in June.

“I’m proud of these students,” said John Bradley, ACTC automotive technology program coordinator. “They have come so far in the time they have been here. I look forward to seeing what they do in the future.”

The 2025 National Leadership & Skills Conference will take place June 23-27 in Atlanta.