FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SkillsUSA Contacts:

Jane DeShong Short or Karen Kitzel

Phone: (703) 777-8810

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Young Skilled Automotive Technician to Compete in

Automobile Technologyat WorldSkills Competition

Leesburg, Va. — Jonathan Robertson of Blue Springs, Mo., will represent the United States in Automobile Technology during the biennial WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Robertson will compete as a member of the SkillsUSA WorldTeam. The 44thinternational event will be held Oct. 14-19.

Robertson won the right to compete by earning the silver medal in 2016 in the college/postsecondary Automobile Service Technology competition during the SkillsUSA Championships. He has also successfully completed other qualifying prerequisites prior to being chosen for the team.

“I love my trade area,” said Robertson. “Automotive technology is such a broad industry in terms of the skills and knowledge required to be successful. One minute you’re removing and rebuilding a transmission, and the next you could be diagnosing a data communication issue or an inoperative air conditioner. I’m looking forward to getting to meet and compete against people in other countries and learn how they do things. To be able to represent the United States, SkillsUSA and the automotive industry at the highest level internationally is an incredible honor,” he continued.

While in school at Fort Osage Career and Technology Center, Robertson took automotive classes under instructor Bill Lieb. When asked about Robertson’s abilities, Lieb said, “I had the privilege of instructing Jon from 2011-13 and the honor to watch him work hard, strive and mature into the young man he is today. His extremely conscientious work ethic and determination to master his craft brought him to the top of our class then, so it doesn’t surprise me that he is now representing our nation in the WorldSkills Competition. Jon has always led by example, not afraid to make mistakes yet always learning from them. During his senior year, he and another student challenged themselves to make it to SkillsUSA’snational championships and the Ford AAA competition their senior year and made it to both. Jon spent nearly 100 hours after school in the lab that year, always testing, preparing and wanting to learn more. It has been truly a pleasure to watch him grow, and I look forward to what is next!”

Mike Elder, assistant professor at Pittsburg State University and the U.S. WorldSkills automotive expert, is working with Robertson to prepare him for the competition. When asked about Robertson’s level of skill, Elder said, “I was impressed with Jonathan’s level of expertise, and confidence under pressure when I observed him competing in the SkillsUSA Championships. During the 2017 spring semester, I also had the opportunity to observe him as a student in class and as a student employee in our automotive department, and I have witnessed his strong work ethic and personal commitment to continually increase his knowledge and automotive skill level. It’s a pleasure to work with such a dedicated student, competitor and champion.”

In the WorldSkills Automobile Technology contest, working under time constraints, competitors must show they can construct and test electrical systems, show expertise in brake and stability control systems and diagnose and repair faults.

Every two years, hundreds of young people from more than 77 countries and regions compete in the prestigious WorldSkills Competition. Member countries include Japan, England, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Australia, Thailand, Argentina and many others. To see a list of member countries and regions, go to: .

There are 11 members on the SkillsUSA WorldTeam. Other occupational areas in which the United States plans to compete include Bakery, Bricklaying, Hairdressing, Mechatronics (two-person team), Plumbing and Heating, Print Media Technology, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Web Design and Development, and Welding.

In 2017, more than 1,300 competitors will test their skills in Abu Dhabi. Considered “the best of the best,” contestants compete for four days in 51 occupational skill areas from economic sectors including manufacturing and engineering technology, information and communication technology, construction and building technology, transportation and logistics, creative arts and fashion, and social and personal services. Accompanied by their teachers, trainers and industry technical committee experts, these young people compete before the public in contests that are run and judged by industry using demanding international standards. The competition brings together young people from around the world in their chosen professions. They represent the best students selected in local and national skills competitions for professional education.

Five thousand international experts, delegates and judges will gather from around the world, and 3,000 volunteers will be recruited to assist in the competition. A total of 100,000 student and public spectators will attend the competition at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). For more information about the competition, go to: .

Unlike other national teams in the WorldSkills Competition, the SkillsUSA WorldTeam is funded solely through private donations.To donate funding or in-kind support, go to: .

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a vital solution to the growing U.S. skills gap. This nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry ensures America has the skilled workforce it needs to stay competitive. Founded in 1965 and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, the association serves more than 300,000 member students and instructors each year in middle schools, high schools and colleges. This diverse talent pipeline covers 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, the majority STEM-related. More than 600 corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA at the national level. SkillsUSA programs are integrated into career and technical education through a framework of personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. Local, state and national championships, designed and judged by industry, set relevant standards for career and technical education and provide needed recognition to its students. SkillsUSA also offers technical skill assessments and other workplace credentials. For more information, go to:

About WorldSkills

Over its 65-year history, WorldSkills International has come to symbolize the pinnacle of excellence in vocational training. It provides a unique means of exchange and comparison of world-class competency standards in the industrial trades and service sectors of the global economy. The continued growth of WorldSkills International attests to the fact that traditional trade and craft skills, along with newer technology’s multi-skilled occupations, make an essential contribution to the economic and social well-being of people everywhere. For more information, go to: .

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