Mike Rowe, a longtime friend of SkillsUSA, provided the keynote address during the Opening Session on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at the National Leadership Skills Conference. Best known for his work on Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs, Mike is an Emmy Award-winning host, bestselling author, and a leader who has turned storytelling into a platform for purpose—sharing the journeys of everyday people who’ve built meaningful careers through skill, determination, and good old-fashioned work ethic.

Cory James is an Emmy-award-winning journalist in Washington, DC. He's also a proud SkillsUSA Alumni who was a gold medal winner in Video News Production as a SkillsUSA Georgia student. He went on to compete at nationals where he placed fourth. Currently, James co-anchors DC News Now weekdays from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. James was the keynote speaker at the 2024 NLSC Opening Session.

Chris Gardner knows first hand the lasting impact one leader can have on an entire generation. He went from homelessness to a business icon. His story was even depicted in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. He spoke at the 2024 NLSC Opening Session.

Poet Amena Brown recites her original work, SkillsUSA: Dream Builders. Recorded during the Opening Session of the 2024 National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, Ga.

Three SkillsUSA Alumni – Aaron Robles, Laila Mirza and Matt DiBara – were the featured keynote speakers at the Opening Ceremony for SkillsUSA's 2023 National Leadership and Skills Conference Opening Session.

Brooke Gatchell, SkillsUSA's Social Media Specialist joins us for a breakdown of social media and how a SkillsUSA chapter can use it to share news about their programs.

In this episode, we share the findings from the SkillsUSA Advantage report — just released by the Student Research Foundation.

In this episode, we sit down with SkillsUSA alumna Sheila Vasquez to talk about her journey from a student to an attorney to a published author.

There are several scholarships available to SkillsUSA members. What are they and how do you apply? We sit down with Megan Flinn, Member Engagement Specialist at SkillsUSA's National Headquarters to learn more about what's available and some best practices for applying.

SkillsUSA Week is Feb. 6-10. There are a lot of ways to celebrate your chapter's work. Learn more about how to celebrate SkillsUSA Week with SkillsUSA's Tyler Chaffin.