George Mason of Gilbert Paint & Body in Gilbert, S.C., and a former student at the Lexington Technology Center in Lexington, S.C., will represent the United States in Leipzig, Germany, in the Autobody Repair competition during the biennial WorldSkills Competition, July 2-7, 2013. Mason will compete in the 42nd international event as part of the United States “WorldTeam.”
Mason was recently awarded the gold medal in Autobody Repair in November 2012 during the WorldSkills Americas competition in Brazil, in which the United States competed against 23 other countries in preparation for the WorldSkills Competition.
Mason won the right to compete by winning the high school bronze medal in the Collision Repair Technology competition during the SkillsUSA Championships in June 2011. He also successfully completed other qualifying prerequisites prior to being chosen for the team.
“When I was 14, I started working at Gilbert Paint and Body. I found I liked autobody work and I moved up through the ranks and got good at what I do,” he said. “I took classes in school and I was pushed by my instructor to work hard and to do everything to the best of my ability. I’m now looking forward to being able to test my skills in an international competition.”
“George was a very unique student," said Ronnie Swygert, Mason’s instructor at the Lexington Technology Center. "When I first met him, he had already been exposed to collision repair and refinish work. It was a privilege and an honor to work with a student so eager to learn and grow in addition to what he already brought to the plate. He is a natural for collision repair.”
In the WorldSkills Autobody Repair contest, competitors must:
- correct all structural misalignment of the unitized body shell using hydraulically operated repair equipment to pull/push the body back into proper alignment; verify the accurate realignment of the unitized body, including suspension attachment points using industry recognized autobody measuring equipment;
- replace a damaged structural (frame) member using internationally accepted procedures;
- repair cosmetic damage to an exterior steel and/or aluminum and/or plastic body panel (fender, door, quarter panel, roof, etc.) by metal finishing (or repair product in the case of a plastic panel); and,
- replace cosmetic non-structural exterior steel and/or aluminum body panel (fender, door, quarter panel, roof, etc.).
Every two years, hundreds of young people from 53 member countries or regions compete in the prestigious WorldSkills Competition. Member countries include Japan, England, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Australia, Thailand, Brazil and many others. Considered “the best of the best,” contestants compete for four days in 45 occupational skill areas from economic sectors including manufacturing, information technology, transportation, construction and services. Accompanied by their teachers, trainers and industry technical committee experts, these young people compete before the public in contests that are run and judged by industry using demanding international standards.
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