Casper College manufacturing team earns seventh place nationally at SkillsUSA

Receiving national recognition, Sam Jones, Vince Acquistapace, and Jake Probst take a break during the automated manufacturing competition at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held June 23-27 in Atlanta.The trio had a seventh-place national finish. (Casper College photo)

When three Casper College students walked into the automated manufacturing competition in Atlanta last month, they brought more than textbook knowledge with them. Sam Jones, Vince Acquistapace, and Jake Probst each carried real-world experience from local manufacturing companies, and that blend of classroom learning and hands-on work paid off with a seventh-place national finish.

The trio, representing Casper College’s Manufacturing Technology and Machine Tool Technology programs, competed at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held June 23-27 in Atlanta. Their challenge: reverse-engineer a set of completed parts and create identical components, all in eight hours. Their deliverables included a comprehensive engineering notebook, 3D CAD solid models, manufacturing prints, and completed prototypes, all of which met strict professional standards.

Jones works for Mesa Solutions, Acquistapace brings experience from Hoerbiger Services Inc., and NOV employs Probst. That industry connection made all the difference, according to Paul Brutsman, engineering technology and design instructor.

“These companies have been incredibly supportive, working around our students’ academic schedules and providing them with invaluable hands-on experience,” Brutsman said. “This experience is invaluable and shapes them to be better students and employees. I’m very proud of these three. They worked extremely well as a team, and I know they will be successful in their future endeavors. I’m also deeply appreciative of the companies that accommodated their travel to Atlanta — industry support is a critical part of our program’s success,” said Brutsman.

The seventh-place finish proves that when Casper College students have the opportunity to combine solid instruction with real industry experience, they achieve remarkable results. It’s a formula that’s working — and one that’s preparing the next generation of manufacturing professionals right here in Wyoming.