TCC’s Carlos Carey Wins First Place at SkillsUSA Virginia, Advances to Nationals in Atlanta
Tidewater Community College is proud to celebrate a major achievement by one of its own: Carlos Carey, a standout student in the Mopar-CAP program at the Regional Automotive Center (RAC), who earned first place in the Automotive Service Technology category at the SkillsUSA Virginia State Conference, held April 4, 2025. Carlos will now go on to represent Virginia at the National SkillsUSA Leadership & Skills Conference this June in Atlanta, competing among the nation’s most skilled students in career and technical education.
Carlos’s journey is one of passion, resilience, and leadership. A native of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Carlos first pursued cybersecurity at Old Dominion University, but quickly realized his heart was in a different field.
“I’ve always had a passion for automotive service technology,” said Carlos. “My father worked on small engines when I was younger, and I’d help him. Watching him sparked my interest. I started learning when I was just 10 years old.”
Carlos is finishing up his final semester in the Mopar-CAP program, a rigorous two-year associate degree pathway that combines classroom learning with hands-on experience at Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram dealerships. As part of the program, Carlos worked as an entry-level technician at Hall CDJR.
Alongside Carlos’s dedication to the automotive services program, he’s also a well-rounded scholar and a leader. A STEM Promise Scholar and member of TCC’s President’s Honor Roll, he also has worked nights as a federal work-study student, deepening his connection with RAC faculty and supporting his education financially.
“Personally, it has been a tough time in my life for me to be finishing the program,” said Carlos. “But I stuck with it. The instructors, friends, and people around me—without their support, I wouldn’t be here.”
While Carlos prepared to compete in the SkillsUSA competition, he also helped revive the club as a whole. As an active SkillsUSA club member in high school, when he learned the SkillsUSA chapter at TCC’s Regional Automotive Center had gone dormant, he took action.
“I spoke with Mr. Harris, our new director, and we found an instructor willing to sponsor the club,”said Carlos. “SkillsUSA builds technical and leadership skills. It’s not just about automotive—it includes welding, cybersecurity, computer science. I wanted to bring that opportunity back for students.”
Though Carlos is graduating this spring, he has helped pass the torch to a first-year student who now leads the club. The newly active SkillsUSA chapter meets twice a month and is open to all RAC students.
At the state conference, Carlos competed in Automotive Service Technology, where participants tackled a series of rigorous, hands-on stations testing everything from electrical diagnosis to hybrid/EV systems, multipoint inspections, and engine diagnostics. He was scored on technical knowledge, safety, speed, and accuracy.
“It’s not just theory, it’s about doing it right, efficiently, and safely,” said Carlos. “EV and hybrid tech is the future of our industry, so there was a lot of that in this year’s competition.”
His preparation for the competition was a blend of classroom instruction and fieldwork, thanks to the RAC’s educational program models.
“At the RAC, the instructors walk you through everything until you understand it. At the dealership, you apply that knowledge in real-world settings. That combo gave me the confidence I needed to perform well in the competition,” said Carlos.
Carlos is now preparing for the national competition, where more than 6,000 top students from across the country will compete in over 100 categories. He’s hitting the books, working with instructors, and practicing weak points identified in his state competition scores.
“Of course I’d like to win, but it’s more about the growth that the competitions can bring,” said Carlos. “It’s about building connections and gaining knowledge from others around the country.”
Carlos’s story highlights the strength of TCC’s career and technical education programs. Through manufacturer partnerships with Ford, Honda, Toyota, Subaru, and Chrysler, students at the RAC receive cutting-edge instruction in diagnostics, EV systems, and emerging automotive technologies, while gaining real-world experience through co-op dealership placements.
“There’s a growing demand in the industry for certified technicians,” said Carlos. “And the programs offered at the RAC are helping fill that gap.”
Carlos’s strongest advice to anyone who may be interested in pursuing a career in automotive service technology, or who is curious about the programs at the RAC, is to not be afraid to reach out and learn as much as possible.
“Ask questions. Any of the instructors are willing to help guide you into the right direction and steer you to where you would like to be if you are considering doing something like this,” said Carlos. “I feel proud of how far I have come, it has been a long journey, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of every single instructor here.”