Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

PCC student takes the bronze in diesel competition

Photos and story by James Hill

ROCK CREEK CAMPUS – A Portland Community College student has gained national attention for his work in diesel technology.Tony Wright, who lives in Tigard, placed third in the diesel equipment technology contest in the college-postsecondary level at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Mo. On June 24, more than 4,600 career and technical education students competed in a hands-on competition in 80 different trade, technical and leadership fields.Wright credited his performance to his effort in hydraulics a subject he says isn’t his strength. But he said he passed that portion of the competition with flying colors, which was key to his top-three spot."I was kind of shocked," Wright said of his bronze. "I was waiting for a while as they announced the winners of all of the competitions when they called my name. Walking onto the stage was a great experience."Wright finished his certificate in diesel service technology last spring and plans to get his transfer degree to go on to a four-year university where he’ll study engineering.During the national contest, diesel equipment technology contestants cycled through 14 testing stations. The stations tested skills in the topics of basic engines; troubleshooting engines; electronics; chassis; transmissions; carriers; hydraulic systems; vehicle inspections; fundamental failure analysis; brake systems; air conditioning; general shop and job interview skills; and there was a written test. SkillsUSA is a national organization for students in trade, industrial, technical and health occupations education.