Career and technical students won one of the nation’s highest awards at the National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC), held June 1-5 in Atlanta. An all-time high of 7,000 students competed in the 2026 SkillsUSA Championships at NLSC, which is the largest gathering of the future skilled workforce.
A total of 1,224 gold, silver and bronze medals were presented to student winners in 115 hands-on career and leadership competitions across middle school, high school and college/postsecondary divisions. Many winners also received industry prizes, tools of their trade or scholarships.
The competitors also received a Skill Point Certificate, an indicator of career readiness. Students can add this certificate to their employment portfolio. * In West Virginia: Jaden Morris, from Bickmore and a student at Clay High School Vocational Department (Clay), was awarded the high school bronze medal in Electrical Construction Wiring. * In West Virginia: Isabelle Conrad, from Birch River and a student at Nicholas County Career and Technical Center (Craigsville), was awarded the high school bronze medal in Early Childhood Education. To be invited to the SkillsUSA Championships, students first had to win their state-level competition, demonstrating their technical skills, workplace skills and personal skills.
The national competition featured state champions vying for honors in competitions including robotics, automotive technology, drafting, criminal justice, aviation maintenance, public speaking and more. The next NLSC will be held June 21-25, 2027, in Atlanta. Learn more about SkillsUSA, the No. 1 workforce development organization for students, at www.skillsusa.org.