SkillsUSA Atlanta conference molds students for high-demand trade careers

Students participate in a construction competition held during SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference, which occurred in Atlanta from June 24 to June 26. (Courtesy of NCCER)

On a late June afternoon, a sea of teenagers wearing white hard hats hammer nails into wooden two-by-four planks to see who can build the better mini house at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Despite the loud noise and hurried pace, the students still manage to stay focused on their tasks.

The students are just a few of the thousands of students, instructors and faculty from across the country who attended the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference, which was held in Atlanta from June 24 to June 26.