Northwest Technical Institute graduate takes 3rd in national skills contest
by November 3, 2023 9:09 am 642 views
From left, Kent Chambers, Colton Bell, Joshua Waldrep and Ethan Camp represented Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale at TMCFutureTech, a national skills contest for technicians. Waldrep placed third overall at the competition in Cleveland.
A recent graduate of Northwest Technical Institute (NWTI) in Springdale placed third in a national skills competition for technicians.
Joshua Waldrep of Fort Smith was third overall at TMCFutureTech. The post-high school student technician competition was part of the Fall Meeting & National Technicians Skills Competitions of the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) hosted in September in Cleveland. The annual event is supported by trade group American Trucking Associations (ATA). TMC is an ATA council.
While third overall, Waldrep placed first in ASE testing and lubricants/fuel. He attributed the wins to being a good test taker.
“It was beyond expectations I had for myself,” Waldrep said. “I was very happy to see how it turned out. I was happy I could be there who I was there with.”
Waldrep, Ethan Camp and Colton Bell represented NWTI at TMCFutureTech. Both Waldrep and Camp graduated from NWTI’s Medium and Heavy Truck Technology Diesel program in June. Bell remains a student in the 18-month program. They competed against about 30 other technicians from schools nationwide.
“It’s a big deal for these kids just to qualify for this type of national competition,” said Kent Chambers, who leads NWTI’s diesel program. “We’re proud about what we teach here and how we teach it. But we’re all about our students, and when they can show the world just how skilled they are – we couldn’t be prouder than that.”
In November 2022, Waldrep joined TLG Peterbilt in Fort Smith as a technician. His first professional experience as a technician was at the University of Arkansas. According to NWTI, its diesel program has a 95% job placement rate for students who complete it.
Waldrep said attending TMCFutureTech “broadened my horizons” regarding industry opportunities, and “just because you’re in the maintenance and technical side of the trucking industry, it doesn’t have to be spent in the shop.”