Photo by Craig Moore.
Advocacy, it turns out, is a skill like any other. You learn the fundamentals and practice until it feels natural. Then if you’re one of the 471 SkillsUSA students, advisors and state directors who came to Washington, D.C. this fall, you put it to work in the halls of Congress.
From Sept. 26-30, the Washington Leadership Training Institute (WLTI) brought high school and college/postsecondary students, along with their advisors and state directors, representing 31 state associations to the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va.
Built around three Essential Elements of the SkillsUSA Framework — communication, leadership and professionalism — the conference paired intensive training with some of the nation’s most meaningful landmarks and, most importantly, face-to-face meetings with elected leaders about the value of career and technical education (CTE).
Sharpening the Toolkit
The week opened Saturday, Sept. 26, with an Opening Session and dinner built around this year’s theme, Level Up. The group heard from SkillsUSA National Officers and guest speaker Dr. Casey Sacks, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education.
One familiar face joined from much farther away than usual: SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis, called in from Shanghai, China, more than 7,000 miles away, where she was supporting the WorldSkills USA team as it participated in the 48th WorldSkills Competition.
Even from the other side of the world, Travis made sure students understood the stakes of the week ahead.
“As you walk the halls of power this week, remember that you’re not just speaking for yourself,” she said. “You’re speaking for every student whose life has been changed by career and technical education — and for every student who hasn’t discovered those opportunities yet.”
That night, students dove into the Statesman Summit, an interactive session of games, activities and reflection designed to test their SkillsUSA knowledge, introduce CTE policy and build confidence ahead of their advocacy visits. Advisors and state staff gathered for their own orientation.
Sunday was all about preparation. Between learning sessions, students honed their SkillsUSA Framework stories and dug into the issues that matter most to CTE classrooms, including Perkins funding. A midmorning Advocacy Panel, moderated by National Officers Noor Khan and Christian Galindo, gave members a look at advocacy from the other side of the desk. Panelists Steve Voytek, senior advisor at Foresight Law + Policy; Rob Young, associate for communications and federal advocacy at Advance CTE; and Anthony Fakhoury, communications director for the office of U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), took questions about CTE and how to advocate for it most effectively.
Meanwhile, advisors and state staff received professional development focused on coaching students for successful meetings. That evening, buses rolled out for the Twilight Tour of the historic monuments of our nation’s capital.
On Monday, students sat for their Statesman interviews — one-on-one conversations with SkillsUSA staff, state directors, partners and advisors covering CTE, the skills gap and their own experiences — before heading out to explore Washington on their own.
From Shanghai to the Capitol
Tuesday was the main event. Dressed in official attire, students fanned out across Capitol Hill for the morning to meet with their senators and representatives, making the case for CTE in their own words — explaining what their programs have meant to them and why continued support, including Perkins funding, matters to the next generation of skilled workers.
The day also brought some special arrivals: Chelle Travis and three members of the WorldSkills USA team, who flew in direct from Shanghai, where they had just wrapped the 48th WorldSkills Competition. Charlie Goede earned a Medal for Excellence in Plumbing and Heating, Tristan Coates competed in Carpentry, and Alexis Squyres became the first woman to represent the U.S. in CNC Milling.
That afternoon, a sea of red jackets gathered on the U.S. Capitol steps for the annual group photo before buses headed to Arlington National Cemetery for a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
While most participants were making their way back from Arlington, a small SkillsUSA delegation — including National Officers Brayden Hayes and Cyna Centeno, along with Goede, Squyres and Coates — headed to the Longworth House Office Building for a Congressional Networking Reception presented by TikTok.
The program brought together congressional staff, federal officials, industry leaders and workforce partners. Ziad Ojakl, TikTok Head of Public Policy for the Americas, introduced Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who co-founded the bipartisan Senate CTE Caucus. Kaine highlighted his work to allow Pell Grants to be used for skilled trades education — expanded access that is now in effect — and congratulated the WorldSkills USA competitors on representing the nation.
Hayes shared how SkillsUSA helped him turn a dream of flying into reality. After competing in Small Unmanned Aerial Systems, he earned his commercial drone license and went on to pass his private pilot’s license exam.
“I love sharing this story because it represents the power SkillsUSA has as a catalyst for students like myself,” Hayes said. “It turns our aspirations, interests and hobbies into real skills, and eventually, real careers.”
Guests also heard a recorded message from Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.), a senior member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and a video from TIkTok about the skilled trades creators on TIkTok and how the platform can be used to further the exposure of the skilled trades and how that can be a career exploration tool for users.
The event concluded with a panel discussion on building America’s future workforce, moderated by JJ Owen of the Skilled Careers Coalition. Coates and Centeno were joined by Greg Polk, vice president of corporate affairs at DeWalt, and Cierra Mitchell, acting deputy administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship.
Carrying It Home
Tuesday night’s Recognition Session and dinner brought the week full circle. Attendees heard from Zaif Inam, director of government affairs at 3M, who shared his perspective with members. A total of 297 participants received the SkillsUSA National Statesman Award, earned by completing pre-conference certifications, a knowledge and civic awareness test and an informational interview on CTE and Perkins funding back home, plus the on-site Statesman Summit and personal interview. Goede, Coates and Squyres were also brought on stage and honored for representing the nation in Shanghai — a fitting reminder for a room full of members of just how far SkillsUSA can take them. The night wrapped with the WLTI Celebration before members headed home Wednesday.
But the real measure of WLTI isn’t what happens in Washington — it’s what members do once they get home. Armed with new skills and fresh confidence, this class of emerging leaders returns ready to champion CTE in their schools, workplaces and communities, and to make sure the people who represent them keep hearing about it.
The 2026 WLTI conference was sponsored by 3M, Tennant Company, TikTok and IAA. The Congressional Networking Reception was presented by TikTok. SkillsUSA will return to the Crystal Gateway Marriott Sept. 18-22, for the 2027 Washington Leadership Training Institute.
