Today, we – the SkillsUSA advisors, Teachers, school administrators, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs – recognize our LCCTC students for choosing to use their skills learned and talents developed here at LCCTC and for some, through their time in SkillsUSA -- to pursue a career, military service, or additional training or schooling beyond their high school years.

To those students in the Class of 2025, we celebrate your decision to announce your career plan to close the skills gap while signing your “certificate of intent” for a job offer or advanced training.

The term “skills gap” refers to the disparity between the skills an employer expects their employees to have / and the actual skills employees possess. This mismatch makes it challenging for employers to fill open positions.

Today, the United States is in the middle of a significant skills gap, but our students at LCCTC are filling in this gap, and today’s group is just a small sample of our skilled graduates ready to enter the workforce or continue their training with a solid step ahead. Though many are very close to securing a future for themselves, this group has already done so, and today, it’s their time to shine.

Members of the Class of 2025, as your name is called, we invite you to join us on stage to sign your certificate and receive your medal, fabricated by the Machine Tool Technology Shop, in recognition of your future intent.

Industry leaders and school representatives, we thank you for joining us on this day of celebration. And we invite you to join us on stage to recognize the CTC students and – as they sign their certificate of intent and receive their medal – we are excited to have you welcome them as they turn the next page to the next chapter in their lives after graduation – a time with you in your organization. We will call students in the order as they appear in the program.

So – without further adieu, let’s begin our ceremony: