STILLWATER, USA – As part of KICKER’s® sponsorship of the event, KICKER Tech Force manager Aaron Malin and Tech Force trainer Jacob Luckey will judge the SkillsUSA Championships June 19-23, during SkillsUSA's 59th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta.
The Mobile-Electronics Installation category tests 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.
“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.
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.”
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce, according to SkillsUSA.org. Students excel and often have the opportunity to secure jobs at competitions. Thousands of outstanding career- and technical-education students will compete hands-on in more than 100 different trade, technical, and leadership career competitions.
KICKER Performance Audio products, a division of Stillwater Designs and Audio, Inc.®, are available for the mobile and home audio aftermarket at authorized retailers worldwide, and also as Original Equipment for boat and automobile manufacturers. Consumers seeking more information on KICKER or Livin’ Loud® may call the Consumer Information Line at 1-800-256-5425 or visit the brand website at www.kicker.com. Consumers can follow KICKER socially at Facebook.com/kickeraudio, Twitter.com/kickeraudio, Instagram.com/kickeraudio, or Pinterest.com/kickeraudio, and use the hashtags #kickeraudio and #livinloud.
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology hosted its 58th annual Trade and Industrial Education Summit, August 4 and 5, at their campus in Okmulgee. The Oklahoma Summit brings together over 4,000 Oklahoma educational professionals for one of the largest and most comprehensive networking events in the state. The conference provides networking, professional development and leadership opportunities for career and technical education professionals.
Bryan Gary, national co-tech chair for SkillsUSA – Mobile Electronics Installation was invited to speak to automotive technology instructors from all over the state. The topic of discussion was how to better prepare students for the Mobile Electronics Installation competition.
Bryan covered several topics including using a digital multimeter, testing electrical circuits and components, series and parallel wiring, remote start and security systems, and doing a vehicle check in (which will be a new competition for 2026). He also encouraged them to contact MECP for supplemental training material. Kicker provided some lanyards and pens for the participants to take home with them.
Vendors, retailers, and individuals that would like to support to the 2026 competition season are encouraged to reach out to Chris Jack at 310-866-2454, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Bryan Gary at 806-922-1822 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
February 19, 2025 —The SkillsUSA Mobile Electronics Installation competition is happy to announce that Bryan Gary has accepted the position of SkillsUSA Mobile Electronics Installation Co-Chair. Bryan has been in the consumer electronics industry for more than 30 years and has worked in various capacities which include retail management, manufacturing, representation and installation. He will be working closely with and assisting Chris Jack, who has been the National Tech Chair for over 10 years. Chris is looking forward to sharing the day to day responsibilities with Bryan, and teaching him what it takes to organize and run the national contest.