Oregon SkillsUSA Competition spotlights the next generation of skilled professionals

By Jenny Yu.  

Participants say SkillsUSA helps them explore careers and grow beyond the classroom. 

At the Oregon SkillsUSA 2026 Competition, students from all over the state showcased their technical abilities, creativity and career readiness across a wide range of disciplines. From culinary arts to healthcare and engineering, competitors demonstrated not only their skills but also their willingness to step outside of their comfort zones and explore future career paths. 

For Kallie Stephenson, this year’s cake decorating competition was a way to refine her culinary skills after competing in last year’s cooking competition. This year’s theme was “farm animals,” and Kallie made a baby chick cake with a marshmallow beak. Despite some last minute-adjustments, Kallie embraced the challenge and encouraged others to do the same. “Just try something new. I mean, I don't really decorate cakes in my culinary class,” Kallie said. “There's something for everybody, and it's really fun.” 

Healthcare competitor Ryese Fernandes highlighted the rigor of the event, which included CPR, checking vital signs, dietetics and a final presentation. This competition marked Ryese’s third year participating in the SkillsUSA competition, and last year she competed in the national competition for basic healthcare. “SkillsUSA definitely helped me break out of my shell. I used to be very shy and reserved, and I’ve grown a lot,” Ryese expressed. “I’m confident in what I did, and I did everything to the best of my abilities.” 

Pryce Henry shared what it was like competing in multiple competitions, including technical math and mobile robotics, and how this will have a long-term impact on their future. “Technical math and robotics together definitely built my skills a lot more than I probably would have if I didn’t do SkillsUSA in high school,” Pryce explained. “We’re growing our personal skills as well as our technical skills. We’re building up to our futures.” 

Finally, photography competitor Aiyana Little Eagle reflected on what the program has meant overall. “SkillsUSA was an opening factor, introducing me to all these CTE programs,” Aiyana shared. “It’s a really cool event where people can meet people, learn new things and learn new things about yourself. SkillsUSA helped me discover a whole new world.” 

Watch all of these interviews to learn more about how SkillsUSA is preparing the workforce of the future.