Strongsville, Ohio--PPG Automotive Refinish has donated $10,000 to SkillsUSA, a national nonprofit organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations.
The organization acts as a link between education and industry, helping students excel in their chosen field and qualify for jobs after school. More than 300,000 students and instructors join SkillsUSA annually.
The PPG donation was earmarked to support the 2008 National SkillsUSA Championships held in Kansas City, Mo., on June 25–26.
The championships are a national-level competition that involves more than 5,000 students vying in 91 hands-on skill and leadership contests, including collision repair technology and, for the first time, an automotive refinishing contest. Each SkillsUSA Championships contestant is a state-level gold medalist.
Tom Holdsworth, SkillsUSA director of communications, said, "We appreciate the continuing support we receive from PPG. They have been instrumental in our automotive collision program, and this year, they played an important part in creating a separate automotive refinishing contest to challenge our students and to match ever-evolving industry needs and expectations.
"Involvement by prominent industry sponsors such as PPG helps our technical instructors stay on top of developments in refinish technology," Holdsworth said. "They then pass that knowledge on to their students who, in turn, are able to keep up with the industry and acquire the skills they'll need -- and are expected to have -- when they enter the work force."
PPG has actively supported SkillsUSA for many years. PPG employees and distributors frequently serve as judges at local, state, and national skills competitions. PPG personnel have held key positions on the SkillsUSA advisory committees and the SkillsUSA Youth Development Foundation since the organization's start in 1965.
"We're very pleased to make this donation to SkillsUSA," said Bill Troyer, PPG training manager. "They help develop well-rounded, motivated young people with the desire to attain the skills and competency levels required to succeed in our industry.
"This year, with the introduction of the automotive refinish contest, the skills the students learn and develop will be particularly important for our customers -- and the whole industry -- down the road," Troyer said. "We are happy to support SkillsUSA and to participate in their activities and competitions."
For more information about PPG Automotive Refinish, visit www.ppgrefinish.com. For more information about SkillsUSA, visit www.skillsusa.org.
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