News and Events

The SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) is the nation's premier showcase of career and technical education, celebrating the skills and achievements of students from across the country. 

This annual event brought together more than 19,000 students, instructors, administrators, and industry partners from across the country. During the week, students participated in national competitions, explored career opportunities, connected with industry leaders, attended professional development sessions, and built networks with peers from every state. The conference culminated with the SkillsUSA Championships, where the nation's top state champions competed in 115 skills and leadership contests. 

ATCC students once again demonstrated the strength of the college's career and technical education programs, earning the following national medals: 

Gold 

• Zackary Felger, Mora, MN - Motorcycle Service Technology 

Silver 

• Thomas Pietila, Menahga, MN and Isaiah Zink, Albany, MN - Mechatronics 

Bronze 

• Aidan Bauch, Clarissa, MN - Marine Service Technology
• Cindy Jensen, Comfrey, MN - Pin Design 

Eleven ATCC students earned Top 10 finishes while competing against some of the nation's most talented career and technical education students. 

These results are a testament to the quality of the college's career and technical education programs and the commitment of their respective instructors. The students’ achievements reflect countless hours of preparation, hands-on learning experiences, and the dedication of advisors who continually challenge students to reach the highest standards of excellence, leadership, and professionalism. 

In addition, two of the attending ATCC students were Minnesota State Officers and participated in Leverage, SkillsUSA's intensive leadership development conference designed specifically for state officer teams. During the conference, officers strengthened their skills in leadership, communication, teamwork, and responsibility, while learning advanced facilitation techniques and developing strategies to effectively represent SkillsUSA throughout the coming year. 

The officers will bring these skills back to Minnesota and immediately put them into practice through chapter visits, member engagement opportunities, and presentations at the 2026 Minnesota SkillsUSA Fall Leadership Conference. Their training will help strengthen local chapters, while empowering members across the state to become career-ready leaders.