Latest news with #SkillsUSAChampionships
New York Times
18-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The Tiny Home Construction Contest Is a Big Deal in This Texas Town
The plumber, the mason, the electrician and the carpenter arrived a full hour early to collect their blueprints. They had two days in June to build an eight-foot by 10-foot tiny home inside the convention center in downtown Atlanta. They knew little else about their assignment, but they were anxious to get started. And they were ready to win. The four-person crew, all students at Belton High School in Belton, Texas, were defending the school's title as the reigning national champions of mock tiny home construction. Every year, around 6,700 students participate in roughly 115 trade contests like auto mechanics, baking, cosmetology and robotics at the SkillsUSA Championships. In Belton, a town of open fields and highways halfway between Waco and Austin, the prize for home construction could make the students stars. The teens could get a segment on the local television station, a spread in the front of the yearbook, a giant banner strung up in the high school wood shop and attention from local and national homebuilders who scout their school and the convention for talent. Belton High was the winningest in the 23-year history of the national TeamWorks contest, taking the top prize three times, including last year. But those boys had graduated and the new crew had never competed at this level. And yet, the new team — the plumber Joseph Fuentes, the mason Bryson Necessary, the electrician Erik Schiller and the carpenter Jack Clark — knew that winning was expected. They could sense it from their coach when he said things like, 'You've got to be on your A game — like a boxer.' Or by the fact that their school's principal was going to wake up at 4 a.m. and fly 1,000 miles to see them compete. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Largest SkillsUSA National Conference in History Showcases America's Future Skilled Workforce
Students, Teachers and Industry Converge in Atlanta June 23-27 to Spotlight the Enduring Value of Skills LEESBURG, Va., June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The largest gathering of America's future skilled workforce will convene in Atlanta, June 23-27, at SkillsUSA's National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC). More than 18,000 attendees — including middle school, high school and college/postsecondary students, teachers, school administrators and business partners — will celebrate the accomplishments of the top career and technical education (CTE) students in the U.S. while showcasing the value of career-ready skills in solving the nation's workforce development challenges. The SkillsUSA conference is a recognized CTE hotspot and workforce development destination event. This huge, multi-faceted conference features the SkillsUSA Championships, where more than 6,800 students — each a state champion — will compete for national gold, silver and bronze medals in 114 hands-on workforce development competitions, from construction and transportation to extemporaneous speaking, welding and everything in between. The event occupies over 1.79 million square feet (31 football fields or 41 acres) of space at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC). Happening simultaneously with the SkillsUSA Championships will be SkillsUSA TECHPSO, one of the nation's largest technical education expositions. TECHSPO will feature more than 200 exhibitors from education and industry eager to meet the next generation of skilled professionals and career-ready leaders. Rounding out the event are professional development workshops for students and teachers, two general sessions and a community service project that benefits Atlanta children. The event will also celebrate the highest membership numbers in SkillsUSA's 60-year history: more than 443,000 student and teacher members from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. "Our organization is growing and so is our conference," said SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis. "As a talent pipeline and vital solution to the skills gap, SkillsUSA is proud to gather our future leaders in the great city of Atlanta as we positively influence a generation of students who will make a difference in their communities, the nation and the world. This event is much more than a conference or convention — it is a workforce development event where America's future skilled workforce can connect directly with their future employers. It's a place for our members and supporters to show the nation that skilled career pathways are more valuable and in demand now than ever before and that these careers provide amazing opportunities for personal and professional success." On Tuesday, June 24 SkillsUSA members and supporters will gather in State Farm Arena for the largest and most exciting event of the week, the Opening Session. Our keynote speaker is Mike Rowe, best known as "the dirtiest man on TV" from the iconic series Dirty Jobs. He is an Emmy Award-winning host, narrator, bestselling author and producer who has turned storytelling into a platform of purpose — sharing the journeys of everyday people who've built meaningful careers through skill, determination and old-fashioned work ethic. Rowe's message resonates deeply with the values of leadership, dedication and practical skills that SkillsUSA embodies. The SkillsUSA conference will be led by students like National High School President Kallie Allen of Massachusetts, who says, "Attending the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference is honestly one of the best experiences I've had in high school. I get to meet leaders in industry, learn about careers I didn't even know existed, and connect with students from all over the country who are just as passionate about their futures as I am. Being involved with SkillsUSA and attending this national event really expands my horizons and opens my eyes to what's possible for my future." Aerotek — a leading workplace solutions provider in manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, facilities and maintenance — is the presenting sponsor of the 2025 conference, and hundreds of other industry representatives from American companies will be on site to support the competitions and other events all week. Students and teachers will converge in Atlanta ready to grow, learn and lead, and the SkillsUSA has announced that Atlanta is our conference home through 2033. One-day guest passes are available to the public. Visit for options and pricing and to learn more about the event or to follow the conference coverage. About SkillsUSA SkillsUSA is the #1 workforce development organization for students, empowering them to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. SkillsUSA represents more than 440,000 career and technical education students and teachers in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. Those members represent 130 in-demand occupational areas, from 3-D animation to welding. A vital solution to the skills gap, SkillsUSA has served over 15 million members since its founding in 1965. Learn more at and follow us on Facebook ( Instagram ( and LinkedIn ( Media Contact Clare Briner, SkillsUSA, 703-737-0625, cbriner@ Facebook View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE SkillsUSA Sign in to access your portfolio
Chicago Tribune
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Northwest Indiana high school quartet to show off construction skills
Before his senior year of high school, Dylan Sjoquist didn't know Bryce Graham, Alex Waszak and Kristofer Garner well. But now, the four seniors aren't just teammates, but good friends. 'The other guys are also pretty passionate about what they're doing for the project, and it's really good working with them,' said Sjoquist, a Highland High School senior. 'We're able to have trust in the other person to get their part of the job done, and we're able to work on our own thing at the same time.' The four Northwest Indiana high schoolers make up a construction team that has seen regional and national success. In June, the teens will compete in the Skills USA Championships, which celebrates skilled trades and accomplishments of those interested in trades, according to the SkillsUSA website. The week-long conference, which is held in Atlanta, brings together 6,500 state champions who compete for national gold, silver and bronze medals in 114 different competitions. The Highland group will compete in SkillsUSA's TeamWorks category, which focuses on carpentry, roofing, masonry, plumbing, electrical and teamwork skills. Garner said last year the classmates competed individually, but they learned this year that they do better as a team. The group won SkillsUSA's state competition in April, and Garner said they placed second at a regional competition. 'I'm pretty excited (for nationals),' Garner said. 'For state, we weren't really — or at least I — wasn't expecting too much of a good outcome, but we got first. I'm just going to try not to be too worried about it, but be prepared and go into it and have fun.' Graham, Sjoquist and Waszak all said they're excited for the SkillsUSA national competition as well. Waszak said they can all focus on different areas they're most passionate about, and he thinks that creates a better final product. Scott Ciupak, the group's construction technology instructor at the Hammond Area Career Center, said watching their success has set a good example for current and future career center students. 'It's very fulfilling,' Ciupak said. 'They're just very ambitious, eager individuals, and it's motivating for me because it encourages me to have more and more for them. … It really increases the quality of our program by having better examples and peer mentors for the group that comes up behind them.' The Hammond Area Career Center offers 13 career pathways for students at 10 Northwest Indiana high schools, according to the center's website. The career center has a two-year program, where juniors typically make up the first-year class and seniors make up the second-year class. During junior year, students focus on structural components of building a house, including walls, floors and roofs framed out of wood. Second-year, or capstone, students are taken to local job sites for nonprofits, Ciupak said, and they help with light remodels, flooring, painting, trim work and more. 'I've been using most of my skills on my house, which is in a big remodel mode,' Waszak said. 'I redid the basement, I redid the bathroom, I did a lot of drywall, and my garage is half-insulated.' Waszak wanted to join the program because he wanted to learn what options he had outside of traditional school. Like Waszak, Graham joined the program because he was interested in the construction field, and he wanted something outside the traditional classroom setting. 'I really enjoy it,' Graham said. 'It's something I'm passionate about, and it's fun, and it's a way to give back to the community, while actually learning things that benefit us and our future.' Although he's still in high school, Graham owns his own business, Graham Property Services, which focuses on landscaping, lawn care and snow removal. The program has taught him how to effectively and smoothly run the business, Graham said. Sjoquist also owns a business, Patriot Property Solutions, which helps with interior and exterior renovations, including work on patios, landscaping, deck building and staining. After high school, Sjoquist plans to focus solely on his business. The career center program has taught Sjoquist what his path might look like, and he's learned what qualities he's looking for in future employees. 'Going through this class, seeing what's important to these people who are taking the course and seeing what qualities I should look for in employees, is definitely a big thing,' Sjoquist said. After high school, Garner said he plans to attend Purdue University Northwest, and although he doesn't know what he wants to study yet, the career center program has helped him learn more about his options. 'It was really nice to learn how the construction trades work,' Garner said. 'In my opinion, college is better for me if it's affordable, but I still really think the trades are important, and I feel like a lot of people should take the time to at least learn a little about them.'
