DACC student takes 2nd at national workforce event

Doña Ana Community College (DACC) student and Sunland Park resident Ta’Juana Williams won a silver medal at a recent national competition.

Williams, a recent graduate from DACC and former president of the Student Government Association, competed in the SkillsUSA Championships which is a competitive event that showcases the best career and technical education students in the nation.

Williams was one of five students from DACC who initially competed at the state SkillsUSA level where she won a gold medal. The gold medal allowed her to advance to the national competition where she finished in second place.

Williams competed in the Extemporaneous Speaking category. She, along with four other students from New Mexico colleges, placed in their respective categories. The competition was held virtually in June.

Williams is now a history major at New Mexico State University, where she plans to pursue a doctorate.

She said she didn’t plan on taking part in SkillsUSA.

“However, things just happen for a reason as they say,” she said in an email.

“It was amazing to know that all of this hard work, even during this crazy pandemic, that I could accomplish something so big,” she wrote.

SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen the nation’s skilled workforce. The SkillsUSA Championships featured thousands of students competing in more than 100 occupational and leadership skill areas.

The annual championship event was held in conjunction with the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, which is a workforce development event. As part of the national conference, Williams also represented New Mexico as a voting delegate. In this position, she was able to vote for national officers and conduct other SkillsUSA business while interacting with business and industry representatives, attending presentations from government officials and participating in other educational sessions.