PEORIA, Ill. – High school students from across Illinois are partaking in a battle to see who’s the best in the trades this weekend in Peoria.
Nearly 2,000 students from 80 high schools across the state are in the River City for the SkillsUSA Championships at the Civic Center. The competition runs through Saturday, and features students looking to be the best in more than 140 fields; such as welding, cosmetology, graphic design, and firefighting.
SkillsUSA is an initiative that aims to introduce the trades to high school students, and give them options for careers that don’t involve obtaining a college degree.
Illinois Executive Director Eric Hill says while students can learn a lot about the trades in the classroom, the competitions simulate the pressures of an entry-level job.
“It may not go exactly how the book taught you, so this is really teaching the students to be flexible, be adaptable, be really creative, start thinking critically, not just following the prescribed path,” Hill said.
Hill says numerous employers are also on site this weekend to not just give back, but to potentially look for new employees.
Hill says the competition has a great relationship with the city of Peoria and the Visitor’s Bureau. But he says the contract to host at the Civic Center lasts one more year, and is looking at future sites.
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