Career Change, Back to School: Karr Wins Gold at SkillsUSA

Thousands cheered and lights flashed as James Karr stood on the Kemper Area stage to receive his gold metal for winning in the Precision Machining Technology competition at SkillsUSA in Kansas City, MO.  Mr. Karr, a recent program graduate at St. Paul Technical College in St. Paul, MN, prevailed over 26 other post-secondary competitors.

An unlikely winner, the 45-year-old Mr. Karr of Hudson, Wisconsin spent the past 20 years as an airline mechanic until he lost his job in August of 2005 after a union strike.  The prospects in the area for a laid-off airline mechanic were slim. Mr. Karr did not receive a single call back after applying for a number of mechanic positions.

In 1979, when Mr. Karr enlisted in the army, he had taken an eight-week machinist class. 27 years later, with no prospects as a mechanic and a family to support, Mr. Karr decided to return to his machining roots.  “Fortunately, I had saved up enough to support my family while I went to school full-time,” Mr. Karr said.

Mr. Karr enrolled in a program to learn machine operation at St. Paul Technical College.  Metalworking Instructor Dick Wold soon recommended Mr. Karr for an open position at Harvy Vogel, a metalstamper in Woodberry, MN.  Mr. Karr was hired in October 2005.

When the supervisors at Harvy Vogel heard that Mr. Karr was receiving EDM training, they gave him some time on one of the EDM machines.  Mr. Karr took the EDM books home to learn the machine.  Within a month, Mr. Karr replaced the second shift EDM worker. “He’s probably the best EDM operator we have,” said Kent Stepan, tool room manager.

Mr. Karr’s success at SkillsUSA is due to the hard work he put into learning the metalworking trade.  One component of the Precision Machining Technology competition is writing and running a simple CNC program.  Mr. Karr had never touched a CNC machine before January of 2006.  “I had experience with technology from the airlines so I wasn’t intimidated by the computers,” Mr. Karr said. “I have to thank Terry Murray…He gives you all the information you need.”  Terry Murray teaches CNC at St. Paul College.

The suggestion to compete at SkillsUSA came in February of 2006, giving Mr. Karr only four months to prepare.  In those four months Mr. Karr won additional gold medals at the state level for the AMT Team Competition and Precision Machining Technology.

Mr. Karr hopes his accomplishments at SkillsUSA will only propel his career.  “This is going to help me secure a position that will bring security and prosperity to my family,” said Mr. Karr. “I put a lot of work into it, but it paid off.”

Mr. Karr received more than just high praise while in Kansas City; along with the gold medal and plaque he won a $1,200 Gerstner Tool Chest, a plethora of metalworking publications, new tools, CNC software from Denford Inc., a ToolingU subscription, and a $250 credentialing scholarship from NIMS, to name a few of the awards.

The excitement during the awards ceremony in Kansas City was unexpected by Mr. Karr.  “I didn’t expect a Metalica concert,” said Mr. Karr “but I guess I’m a bit older.” Regardless, the significance of the moment wasn’t lost on Mr. Karr. “He came back,” said Mr. Stepan of Harry Vogel, “with a smile on his face.”