STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — PPG Automotive Refinish donated $10,000 to SkillsUSA, a national nonprofit organization serving teachers, high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. The organization acts as a link between education and industry, helping students excel in their chosen field and qualify for jobs.
More than 300,000 students and instructors join SkillsUSA annually, the organization said. The PPG donation was earmarked to support the 2008 National SkillsUSA Championships held in Kansas City, Missouri June 25 to 26. This national competition involves more than 5,000 students vying in 91 hands-on skill and leadership contests including collision repair technology and, for the first time, a separate automotive refinishing contest. Each SkillsUSA Championships contestant is a state-level gold medalist. “We appreciate the continuing support we receive from PPG,” says Tom Holdsworth, SkillsUSA director of communications. “They have been instrumental in our automotive collision program, and this year, they played an important part in creating a separate automotive refinishing contest to challenge our students and to match ever-evolving industry needs and expectations. Involvement by prominent industry sponsors such as PPG helps our technical instructors stay on top of developments in refinish technology.” PPG has actively supported SkillsUSA for many years. PPG employees and distributors frequently serve as judges at local, state and national skills competitions. PPG personnel have held key positions on the SkillsUSA advisory committees and the SkillsUSA Youth Development Foundation since the organization’s start in 1965. | 
