PITTSBURG — (KOAM) – Six local high schools sent their juniors and seniors to compete in Pittsburg State University’s 10th Annual Automotive Skills Competition, where students tested their abilities across multiple automotive industry stations while exploring potential career paths.
The competition exposed students to various automotive-related skills through hands-on stations covering everything from job interview techniques to technical automotive work. Each station was designed to mirror real-world automotive industry requirements.
“Each one of our stations has something to do with the automotive industry, whether it is in a job interview where they’re having to present and talk, and ask questions, whether it’s in diesel performance, whether it is an engine performance, whether it is in brakes, hydraulics, steering, suspension,” Assistant Professor at PSU’s automotive program Dave Ferguson said.
The automotive industry has undergone significant technological changes over the past decade, forcing competition organizers to adapt their format accordingly.
“We used to have the average of eight modules, and now we have the average of 36 computers on one vehicle,” Ferguson added. “So we’ve had to evolve this contest over the years to reflect the growth in technology in the automotive industry. And that goes with our scanning tools, being able to read the scan tools and and diagnose electrical components.”
Beyond the competitive aspect, the event serves as a networking opportunity for students to learn about Pittsburg State’s automotive programs and potential educational pathways. The university currently offers certificates, two-year degrees and four-year degrees through its School of Automotive and Engineering Technology.
Carson Davis, a current automotive management student at PSU, participated in the competition during his high school years and credits the experience with preparing him for higher education.
“It was huge,” said Davis. “I had a lot of background knowledge that a lot of my classmates didn’t have. It felt like I had a almost like a leg up just because of the fact that I’d already done a lot of this stuff before I’d been around it.”
High school instructors emphasize that the skills students develop through the competition extend beyond automotive applications.
“If a student decides to go into any type of skilled career, these are transferable skills,” automotive teacher at the Fort Osage Career & Technology center Bill Lieb said. “If they’re not going to measure breaks one day, they’re going to measure something one day. But this activity, can, can definitely, give them the opportunity to give it a try.”
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