The Mobile-Electronics Installation category will test competitors’ abilities to perform standard installation practices used by certified, professional mobile-electronics installers. These skills have been established through the certification objectives and items created for the Basic MECP certification by the Consumer Electronics Association, event organizers said.
“We hear from retailers on a regular basis that they cannot find qualified people to hire,” said Malin. “There are 107 different categories of competition within SkillsUSA, each category stresses various aspects of the real-world workplace; so when they graduate, they are positioned to enter a job and immediately contribute. The 12-volt industry needs more sharp-minded employees to bring new ideas to the table.”
The event includes a written examination covering the Basic MECP certification, a professional interview and five hands-on applications that include taking electrical measurements, installing consumer-electronics equipment, soldering, working with relay circuits and troubleshooting electronic circuitry.
In addition to judging the competition, KICKER is donating over $5,000 in prizes to the winners of the 12-volt competitions.
“I would like to encourage other 12-volt industry leaders and manufacturers to get involved with SkillsUSA at their local, state and national level,” Malin said. “As an industry, we need those young men and women to join us in the very exciting and quickly evolving industry.”
