MC named Top Performing College at Warren CAT Future Tech Challenge
May 5—Midland College students earned top honors at the 3rd Annual Warren CAT Future Tech Challenge, taking home 1st place overall and securing the title of Top Performing College in a field of competitive regional programs.
The Warren CAT Future Tech Challenge is a prestigious, invite-only event that mirrors the company's internal technician competition. Designed to spotlight top-performing diesel technology students, the challenge brought together elite teams from Midland College, Odessa College, South Plains College, Texas State Technical College, and Amarillo College. Each school fielded five of its most skilled students to compete in a rigorous series of hands-on challenges simulating real-world diagnostic and repair scenarios.
Competition events tested students' mechanical expertise and critical thinking skills across multiple stations, including hydraulics, engine performance, electrical systems, failure analysis, and more.
Representing Midland College were Felix Campos, Fidel Gardea, Royce Knight, Rene Velazquez, and Raul Velazquez. Not only did MC's team outperform the competition, but all five Midland College students placed in the top 10 for cumulative scores — an outstanding testament to the program's strength.
Felix Campos claimed 1st place overall, and Rene Velazquez followed with an impressive 5th place finish. Both students received professional-grade tool sets as prizes, awarded based on final placement.
"We're incredibly proud of these students and what they've accomplished," said Erick Gutierrez, Department Chair of Applied Technology. "Their performance in this high-pressure environment reflects the hands-on preparation they receive every day in our diesel technology program. This win also highlights the demand for well-trained technicians in today's workforce, and Midland College is proud to be a part of that pipeline."
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