(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Much like young athletes playing for the chance to earn bragging rights as new champions, five Auto Collision and Management Technology students from Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus will compete for the first time at the 2025 SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary Leadership and Skills Conference in Corpus Christi next month.
Luis Alvarado, of Harlingen, is scheduled to compete in the Collision Repair Technology category; Eric Bernal, of La Feria, Braulio Pena, of Weslaco, and Christian Prado, of San Benito, are slated to compete in the Automotive Refinishing Technology category; and Jessica Reyna, of Harlingen, is planning to compete in the Collision Damage Appraisal category.
Bernal, who is studying for an Auto Collision Refinishing certificate of completion, said he chose to compete because the program’s instructors have boosted his self-confidence.
“I’ve been putting in extra time in the lab to prepare after my classes finish,” he said.
Pena, who is pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in Auto Collision and Management Technology – Refinishing Specialization, said he has a passion for painting automobiles.
“I’ve been doing several jobs in our lab such as a color-match blend, full paint jobs on a sealed panel, and other tasks,” he said.
Reyna, who is studying for an Auto Collision Refinishing certificate of completion, said competing in SkillsUSA would improve her skill set.
“The Collision Damage Appraisal category will prepare me for the estimating courses that I will take in my third semester,” she said. “I’ve been reading different estimating articles online and observing an estimating class to have an idea of what to expect at the competition.”
Jose Vasquez is TSTC’s Auto Collision and Management Technology program team lead in Harlingen.
“The SkillsUSA state competition will not only help our students refine their technical skills, but also prepare them for the leadership roles they will one day take on in the workforce,” he said.
SkillsUSA is a professional organization focused on employability, leadership and technical skills that help college students pursue successful careers and be part of a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA has more than 100 specific contests at the state and national events in which students can compete, from 3D Visualization and Animation to Welding Sculpture. For more information on SkillsUSA Texas, go to skillsusatx.org.
To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.
