Minnesota Students will represent the U.S. at the 2005 WorldSkills Competition

Alexandria Technical College is pleased to announce that two outstanding students will represent the United States at the International Vocational Training Organization (IVTO) WorldSkills Competition being held in Helsinki, Finland, on May 26-29, 2005

The competition, commonly known as the "Skill Olympics," represents the pinnacle of excellence in vocational education and training. Every two years, hundreds of students and skilled professionals gather from around the world to compete in a series of intense competitions. They represent the best in their field, having won both regional and national Mechatronics competitions.

Mechatronics is a training concept widely used in European and Asian manufacturing for building, testing, and troubleshooting automated manufacturing systems. Besides emphasizing teamwork and personal responsibility, it integrates several "traditional" skills such as computers, electronics, mechanics, robotics, and fluid power in order for the individual to quickly diagnose and repair problems normally encountered in automated manufacturing.

The USA team is comprised of Matt Lindemann and Dan Reese – both sophomores in the Center for Automation and Motion Control program at Alexandria Technical College in Alexandria, Minnesota.

Team USA sponsor Festo Corporation, a global manufacturer of pneumatic components and systems, will host the Mechatronics competition in Helsinki.

More information is available at www.worldskillsmechatronics.com, www.festo.com, and www.camc-online.org.