April 24, 2008
For Immediate Release

RCCC Automotive Students
Perform Well at State Skills Competition

           SALISBURY, N.C. -- Three high school students in Rowan-Cabarrus Community College's Automotive Systems Technology program placed highly at the state-level SkillsUSA competition held recently in Greensboro.

           Rusty Metts of Kannapolis placed first in the auto technician I category. He attends A.L. Brown High School.

           Thomas Redmond of China Grove earned a fourth-place finish in the auto technician I category. He is a student at South Rowan High School.

           Matthew Cress of China Grove placed fourth in the automotive service technology category. He attends Jesse C. Carson High School.

           SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry professionals working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. SkillsUSA serves more than 280,000 students and instructors annually. The organization has 13,000 school chapters in 54 states and territorial associations. More than 14,500 instructors and administrators are professional members of SkillsUSA.
RCCC's Automotive Systems Technology program prepares students for employment as automotive service technicians at dealerships and independent repair shops. Classroom and service bay instruction combine technical and academic coursework. The program places an emphasis on theory, servicing and operation of brakes, electrical/electronic systems, engine performance, steering/ suspension, automatic transmission/transaxles, engine repair, climate control, and manual drive trains. The two-year program serves 100-130 students annually.

           RCCC also offers an Automotive Systems Technology program for 11th and 12th grade high school students through the state's Huskins program. Huskins students pay no tuition for their classes. Both RCCC automotive programs have earned certification from the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

           For more information about RCCC's Automotive Systems Technology programs, call 704-216-3924.

           Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is a comprehensive, community-based institution of higher learning, serving the citizens of Rowan and Cabarrus Counties. RCCC offers approximately 40 programs of study in business, health and human services and engineering technologies at multiple campus locations. RCCC annually provides more than 2,000 course offerings, serving an enrollment of approximately 20,000 adult students. RCCC programs include an associate degree in arts and sciences, an associate degree in applied science, and diploma and certificate programs focusing on workforce training, continuing education and basic skills education.

           In addition, RCCC provides the education and job-training programs needed to meet many of the workforce demands of the North Carolina Research Campus, under construction in Kannapolis, N.C.

           For complete details, see the RCCC website at www.rowancabarrus.edu.