Career Skills Challenge Provides Recognition and Encouragement to High School Students

The Career Skills Challenge is an action-oriented, career centered event, featuring student competitions in disciplines such as: Auto Technology, Basic Patient Care Skills, Carpentry, Crime Scene Investigation, Digital Imaging, Fashion Design, Floral Design, Job Seeking Skills, Video Security Design, Welding, and many more. The Career Skills Challenge involves nearly 1,000 high school students from more than 30 high schools within the Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa counties. With intense competition for the gold, silver and bronze medal, the students fully demonstrate their career competencies, the strength of their programs and teachers, and especially their career dreams. A special award "The Marty" is also given to the overall Best of Show entry for the media events in honor of Mr. Martin Lee Carbajal. In addition, awards are given to each school that places first in their division along with the perpetual Grand Champion trophy which is awarded to the school with the overall majority of its students placing first, second, or third in any of the events. The individual competitions are managed by Fresno City College instructors and local business partners, with this event serving as an excellent showcase of the local partnerships that exist between schools and the business community. The purpose of the Challenge is to provide recognition and encouragement to high school students for their accomplishments in career skills, improve participation in educational programs, and encourage public support of career technical education.