Last month, Chattanooga State Community College students took to the national stage to show off career-ready excellence at the 2025 SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta. 

Held June 23-28, SkillsUSA’s National Championship is the country’s premier career and technical education (CTE) event. The National Leadership & Skills Conference gives students a platform to demonstrate in-demand technical skills, earn scholarships and tools, and connect directly with industry leaders and employers. 

A total of 25 ChattState students and 16 advisors traveled to Atlanta to participate in the SkillsUSA 2025 National Leadership & Skills Conference. Twelve returned victorious. All told, five students won gold medals, one won a silver medal, and six won bronze. 

SkillsUSA Tennessee Conference 

To compete at SkillsUSA nationals in Atlanta, students must first win a gold medal at the statewide level, which was held this April in Chattanooga. 

During the statewide SkillsUSA competition in April, a total of 61 students won medals: 28 Gold, 18 Silver, and 15 Bronze medals in a variety of skill areas from automotive service to medical assisting, heavy equipment operation, culinary arts, welding, and more. ChattState’s chapter also brought home the prestigious James D. King award for Division I for the 10th consecutive year. 

Investing in the Workforce 

The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), which oversees the Community College System of Tennessee, invests heavily in workforce development. In a recent address to SkillsUSA competitors on ChattState’s Chattanooga campus, Regent Tom White said the state of Tennessee has allocated a billion dollars to invest in technical education statewide. 

“The Tennessee Board of Regents meets a couple of times a quarter, and everything we do is centered around student success and workforce development,” White said. “I can't think of a better example of workforce development than SkillsUSA.” 

In recent months, ChattState celebrated the topping off of two new structures that will house technical education programs in Chattanooga and Dayton, marking the placement of the final beam of each building. Students, faculty members, staff, alumni, and other community members were invited to sign the beams.

ChattState President Dr. Rebecca Ashford said everything from SkillsUSA competitions to building new education centers demonstrates the College’s commitment to developing a strong workforce in Tennessee. 

“SkillsUSA offers our students invaluable opportunities to grow as professionals while developing the skills they need to succeed in today’s workforce,” Dr. Ashford said. “Their success on the national stage is a testament to their hard work and the unwavering support of our dedicated faculty and advisors.” 

In addition to succeeding in fierce competition, students also meet industry leaders and build relationships with peers from across the country, expanding their networks and developing soft skills that help them succeed in the workforce and beyond. 

“The excellence of our SkillsUSA team was on full display all week at NLSC,” said Mike Mercer, SkillsUSA director at ChattState. “Our students gained valuable skills, formed long-lasting bonds, and created life-long memories in Atlanta. Because of SkillsUSA, our students are truly skilled and ready to enter the workforce on day one.” 

ChattState’s SkillsUSA National Standings 

Gold Medal Winners: 

• Career Pathways Showcase – Human Services 
  • Caylin Fowler 
  • Emilee Rutledge 
  • Tia Bowers 
• Employment Application Process 
  • Lucy Nicholson 
• First Aid/CPR 
  • Takara Lawrence 

Silver Medal Winner: 

• Job Skills Demonstration – Open 
  • Yolanda Palacios 

Bronze Medal Winners: 

• Community Service 
  • Drake Boyd 
  • Derek Dunn 
  • Darrion Mason 
• Job Interview 
  • Natalie Garrett 
• Motorcycle Service Technology 
  • Parker Barrett 
• Principles of Engineering Technology 
  • David Perez

Back row, left to right: Tristan Long, Monika Prestwood, Nicolas Leon, Maddox Gilkey, Jason Forker, James Herrington, Ed Grun, TayShawn Caslin, Bryce Carroll, Travis Olinger, Orlando Pendergrass.
Middle row, left to right: Mike Mercer, Gibson Sims, Karen Eastman, Parker Barrett, Derek Dunn, Rick Swafford, Angela Ross, LeShundria Nelson, Blan Williams, Axel Salaises, Cynthia Rutledge.
Front row, left to right: Tia Bowers, Kady Mitchell, Giselle Palacios, JaQuese Walker, Rachel Blackwell, Natalie Garrett, Caylin Fowler, Yolaila Palacios, Takara Lawrence, Lyndsey O'Hagan, Janaria McIntosh.