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Owensboro Community and Technical College

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OCTC Announces Second Annual TRADE WARS 2026, Expanding Regional Skills Competitions

Manufacturing & Professional Skills: March 20; Healthcare Careers: April 17

by Bernie Hale

Owensboro, KY (02/25/2026) — Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC) is gearing up to host the second annual TRADE WARS, an expanded regional skills competition designed to spotlight the talent, creativity, and technical expertise of high school students across the region.

Building on the success of its inaugural year, TRADE WARS 2026 introduces new competition areas, including Automotive Technology, Diesel Technology, and Surgical Technology, giving students even more opportunities to showcase in-demand, career-ready skills.

Trade Wars Competition Dates

Manufacturing & Professional Skills

Friday, March 20, 2026 | 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Registration deadline: Extended to March 10, 2026

Healthcare Career Programs

Friday, April 17, 2026 | 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Registration deadline: March 20, 2026

The free event will be held on OCTC's Main Campus, located at 4800 New Hartford Road in Owensboro, and will feature 17 competitions across three major sectors:Manufacturing & Transportation, Healthcare, and Professional Skills.

Students will compete in hands-on, performance-based challenges aligned with real-world expectations in fields such as Welding, Industrial Maintenance, Electrical Technology, Nursing, Criminal Justice, Visual Art, Public Speaking, Dramatic Interpretation, and more-now joined by Automotive, Diesel, and Surgical Technology.

"TRADE WARS gives students the chance to test their skills in a professional, competitive environment while exploring career and transfer pathways," said Bernie Hale, OCTC director of marketing and communications. "The event is modeled after a long-running competition in Maysville that started in 2019. After experiencing it firsthand, we knew it was something our region needed. Last year's event confirmed that-and this year, we're raising the bar."

OCTC Vice President of Advancement Sydney Warren emphasized the importance of community support.

"The original event in Maysville is fully supported through sponsorships, and we're hoping our regional partners will step up again to invest in students and workforce development," Warren said. "TRADE WARS highlights both our transfer and career options while connecting students directly with future opportunities."

Sponsors already on board include, Presenting sponsor: IBEW/NECA, Tshirt Sponsor: JATC, Technical Trades Category: Four Seasons Heating and Cooling, Inc.,

Healthcare Trades Category: RiverValley Behavioral Health, Air Conditioning Technology Competition: Four Seasons Heating and Cooling, Inc., Healthcare Competition: RiverValley Behavioral Health

Winning schools will receive commemorative banners, and individual champions will earn career-focused prizes designed to support continued education and professional growth. Students may compete in multiple categories, demonstrating a wide range of skills. Some competitions are structured for teams.

Registration is now open at www.owensboro.kctcs.edu/tradewars. Due to limited space in select competitions, early registration is strongly encouraged. Schools and homeschool representatives may self-register online or may request registration materials and waivers by emailing OCTC.TradeWars@kctcs.edu.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact sydney.warren@kctcs.edu.

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Owensboro Community & Technical College is one of the sixteen community and technical colleges that make up the Kentucky Community & Technical College System. OCTC serves the KY counties of Daviess, Hancock, Ohio and McLean. OCTC has three campuses in Daviess County and a Center and Annex in Hancock County. OCTC strives to serve the communities in the service area by providing associate degree education for transfer, state of the art technical education for students focusing on entering the workforce, customized business and industry solutions through the Workforce Solutions division, and adult education and business and industry testing through the SkillTrain unit.

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The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is the Commonwealth's largest postsecondary institution with 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses. We also are Kentucky's largest provider of workforce training and online education. Through partnerships with business and industry, we align our programs to meet the needs of local employers. We help students fulfill their dreams of creating a better life through programs that lead directly to jobs or help them transfer to one of our four-year partners.

Connect with OCTC: Owensboro.kctcs | Facebook.com/owensboroctc | Twitter@OCTC_Tweets | Instagram OwensboroCTC

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