Ranken Technical College graduate Mehmet Dinceroglu won first place honors in the Major Appliance & Refrigeration Technology national contest at the 2019 SkillsUSA Championships.
The Championships, which were held in Louisville, KY, on, June 26-27, brought together more than 6,500 outstanding career and technical education students –– all state contest winners –– to compete in 103 different trade, technical and leadership fields.
In the Major Appliance and Refrigeration Technology category, Dinceroglu placed first among all other contenders as they analyzed and diagnosed service issues on refrigerators, washers, dryers, ranges, microwave ovens and dishwashers, demonstrated brazing abilities, participated in interviews, and were tested on a series of other learning exercises.
Dinceroglu graduated in May from Ranken with dual associate degrees in HVAC Technology and Major Appliance Technology. He was raised in Edwardsville, and is employed by DLT Properties.
In addition to receiving a gold medal, he was awarded tools and several other prizes.
Over the past decade, the Major Appliance and HVACR industries have widely adopted electronic integration into their systems, which has necessitated specialized training for their technicians. These changes occur at a time when there is already a growing gap in the supply and demand of skilled workers. Ranken has responded to this need, and is the only school in the St. Louis region that offers students the opportunity to earn dual degrees in these areas with only an additional semester of enrollment.
“Appliances and HVAC/R systems are much more complex than they have been in the past. The Ranken programs and the SkillUSA competition have given me hands-on experiences which have accelerated my learning and expanded my capabilities,” said Dinceroglu.
Six other Ranken-sponsored students earned the right to compete in the national competition after qualifying earlier this year at SkillsUSA district and state levels. Ranken faculty contributed to training the technicians, and three advisors accompanies them to the grand event.
“We are very proud of Mehmet and our other students who worked hard to gain the knowledge and skills to compete with the best-of-the-best in these contests,” said Gary Bick, Ranken Instructor of Major Appliance Repair. “They earned this national recognition and praise. They also have earned leadership and technical skills that will benefit them throughout their careers.”
Ranken Technical College is a private, non-profit, degree-granting institution of higher learning whose primary mission is to provide the comprehensive education and training necessary to prepare students for employment and advancement in a variety of technical fields. More information can be found at ranken.edu
Photo Above (L to R) :Mehmet Dinceroglu and Ranked President Don Pohl