Casper College’s Hannah Kerkes Places Eighth Nationally in Technical Drafting at SkillsUSA

Casper College news release by Lisa S. Icenogle:

For eight hours in Atlanta last month, Hannah Kerkes faced one of the most challenging tests of her engineering technology education at Casper College. She had to reverse-engineer mechanical parts, create detailed manufacturing drawings, and complete a comprehensive knowledge test on drafting standards — all while competing against state gold medalists from across the country.

When the dust settled at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, held June 23-27, Kerkes had earned eighth place nationally in technical drafting. Not bad for someone who’s been putting her classroom learning to work at High Country Fabrication, where she’s gained real-world experience that’s made all the difference.

“Hannah has learned a lot from our industry partners,” said Paul Brutsman, one of Kerkes’ instructors. “The opportunity to work in the field while still in school is a huge benefit to the student and helps us stay aligned with what industry actually needs. Hannah has grown tremendously as a professional over the past year,” , said Brutsman, engineering technology and design instructor.

Another of Kerkes’ instructors was even more enthusiastic in his praise: “One of the smartest and most creative students I have ever had in class. GO HANNAH!” exclaimed Jason Eggemeyer, engineering technology and design instructor.

That combination of classroom instruction and hands-on experience at HICO has clearly paid off for Kerkes. She’s proof that the partnerships between Casper College and local industry leaders aren’t just good for students — they’re essential for preparing the next generation of technical professionals who understand what employers need.

Kerkes’ eighth-place finish demonstrates that Casper College students can compete effectively against anyone in the nation when they have the right support, instruction, and real-world experience backing them up.