DXATC Students Competing in National Skills USA Competition
Cody Wulffenstein
The Competition consisted of 12 different skills areas within the diesel repair industry along with a mock job interview and a knowledge test. Some of the areas tested were: Shop Skills, including: drilling, tapping, welding, and cutting; Engine Diagnostics, Air Conditioning, and Precision Measuring. Each contestant had 15 minutes to complete a task and were scored on how well they performed. More points were awarded for correct procedures than for speed. There was a written portion for each job that allowed an additional 15 minutes in each section. The entire competition lasted six hours. The post-secondary students were judged in their own division separate from the secondary students.
Although all the DXATC students performed well, Cody Wullfenstein, a junior from PineView High School was a stand-out. Many of the station Judges were overheard asking "who was that young man in the cowboy hat". Cody won first place in the secondary division, earning the Gold Medal and a box of prizes from industry, including: Snap-On Tools, Wheeler Machinery, Lake City International and others. Cody will be representing Utah and the DXATC in the national competition in Kansas City the last week of June 2009. Anyone interested in helping financially support the students at the national competition should contact Max Lowe at 656-4228.