(SWEETWATER, Texas) – For 12 years, a truck sat idle, waiting for someone to bring it back to life. For Cameron Barnes, that project with his father became the spark that ignited a career.
The Texas State Technical College Automotive student is taking those skills he used on that family truck to the state’s biggest stage. He is set to compete at the 2026 SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary Leadership and Skills Conference. The competition will be held April 8-11 in Corpus Christi.
“I wanted to get that truck back to life,” Barnes said.
Barnes knew of the SkillsUSA competition in high school but decided now was the time to test himself.
“I thought it would be cool to compete,” said the second-semester student from San Angelo.
Barnes will be among the participants in Automotive Service Technology. According to the SkillsUSA website, the competition is consistent with the automobile technician task list outlined in guidelines published by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and the ASE Education Foundation. Competitors will demonstrate their ability to perform tasks as determined by the SkillsUSA championships technical committee.
Barnes has been preparing for the competition in the Sweetwater lab and at home.
“I have worked on my masters (in the lab) and at home I watch in-depth videos to sharpen my skills,” he said. “Just a little bit of training will go a long way.”
Ty Liedtke, the automotive program instructor, said Barnes will be well-prepared when it is time to compete.
“Cameron is very knowledgeable,” Liedtke said. “He works hard in class and also when he is at work. I am excited to see how well he does at the state event.”
While Barnes is the only automotive student on the competition list, his venture to SkillsUSA marks the third straight year the program will be represented.
“I wish more people would go,” he said. “It is good to carry on the tradition.”
SkillsUSA is a professional organization focused on employability, leadership and technical skills. It features more than 100 specific contests at the state and national levels, ranging from 3D Visualization and Animation to Welding Sculpture.
Barnes’ journey to TSTC began after he worked as an apprentice in the aviation industry and on diesel engines.
“I cannot see myself anywhere else,” he said. “This is where I am supposed to be.”
He is working to complete the spring semester early as part of the performance-based education curriculum, which allows students to move ahead as soon as they master a skill. He is looking forward to learning more when he returns to school in the summer.
“I really enjoyed the engine class, and I am looking forward to the automatic transmission section this summer,” he said.
Until then, he is focusing on the SkillsUSA event.
“This will show where I am at compared to other students,” he said.
Registration for the summer and fall semesters at TSTC starts Monday, March 30. For more information about TSTC, visit TSTC.edu.