A career and technical student from Richmond Hill won one of the nation's highest awards at the National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC), held June 1-5 in Atlanta.

Ocean Jenkins-Lofton, from Richmond Hill and a student at Savannah Technical College, was awarded the college gold medal in Job Interview.

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.

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.

"This showcase of career and technical education demonstrates SkillsUSA at its finest," said SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis. "Our students, instructors and industry partners work together to ensure that every student excels."

The SkillsUSA Championships is the largest skill competition in the world and covers 1.79 million square feet, equivalent to 31 football fields or 41 acres. It's supported by leaders from 850 businesses, corporations, trade associations and unions who planned and evaluated the competitors against their industry standards. More than 2,000 industry judges and technical committee members also volunteered their time to ensure a successful event.

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.