Elevating the Trades: How Skills Competitions Are Shaping Tomorrow’s Manufacturing Workforce

SkillsUSA isn’t just an event—it’s the Olympics of the skilled trades. Picture the intensity and excitement of a major sporting competition, but instead of medals for sprinting or gymnastics, champions are crowned for their excellence in HVAC, electrical wiring, welding, robotics, cosmetology, culinary arts, and, of course, advanced manufacturing.

In a recent episode of Manufacturing the Workforce of Tomorrow, host Toni Neary welcomed longtime friend, mentor, and manufacturing education advocate Clint Smith. A proud graduate of Vincennes University’s acclaimed machining program, Clint’s career journey has taken him from CNC programmer to field service engineer and now to Mastercam, where he plays a vital role in driving educational partnerships and supporting national technical competitions.

Clint shared just how transformative events like SkillsUSA can be—not just for the industry, but for the students themselves. "So many people are quick to criticize today’s youth—saying they don’t want to work or don’t want to learn. But when you show up, get involved, and see these students in action, you realize how wrong that narrative is. These are some of the smartest, most talented, and most respectful young people you’ll ever meet."

What is SkillsUSA?

SkillsUSA is a national organization that partners with students, teachers, and industry to ensure America has a skilled workforce. It provides educational programs, events, and competitions that support career and technical education (CTE). Students compete at local, state, and national levels in over 100 occupational and leadership skill areas.

The ultimate goal? To prepare students for successful careers. Students are judged not only on their technical prowess but also on their professionalism, communication, and ability to work as a team—all vital attributes in any industry.

The Manufacturing Contests: A Glimpse into the Future

In the manufacturing realm, SkillsUSA features highly competitive contests:

• CNC Competitions: Mastercam has been a key sponsor for over 25 years, providing the CAM software for competitions in CNC Machining (turning, milling, and five-axis). This year, the national CNC competition saw a record number of over 150 competitors.
• Automated Manufacturing Technology (AMT): This competition, chaired by Intellitech, also saw record numbers of participants this year.
• Additive Manufacturing: Supported by SME, this contest showcases the cutting-edge of 3D printing and advanced fabrication.
• Robotics: A growing area that reflects the increasing automation in modern manufacturing.

These growing numbers are a significant indicator. Smith notes, "I think if you just step back and look as at our industry as a whole, that's a pretty good sign for us that, you know, our competitions aren't shrinking, that there's actually been an interest and increase in manufacturing and we're getting more young students in States and schools involved in these competitions."

Beyond Nationals: WorldSkills

Winning a gold medal at SkillsUSA Nationals can open the door to WorldSkills, an international competition where the best of each country compete. Mastercam has been a global partner of WorldSkills since 2009, supporting the CNC Turning and CNC Milling competitions.

Smith, who attended the WorldSkills Olympics in Lyon, France, last year, describes it as mind-blowing: "You're seeing people from countries from all over the world, and every one of these competitors that are competing are the best in their trade." He highlights a unique team event where competitors from different countries, often speaking different languages, collaborate to solve a manufacturing challenge, demonstrating incredible teamwork and problem-solving under pressure.

Project MFG: A Team-Based Approach

Another initiative, Project MFG, supported by the Department of Defense, takes a different, highly engaging approach. It started with a focus on 5-axis machining but has evolved significantly. "At the beginning of this thing, it was almost like having to beg schools to get involved," Smith recalls. Now, over 60 schools participated in the recent Project MFG Clash of Trades National Championship.

Project MFG stands out for its team-based, reality-show style competition, filmed by a Hollywood film crew and aired on YouTube. Teams of students, often combining welding and machining skills, work together under tight deadlines, where "time, money, and materials all matter in your final score." This simulates real-world manufacturing challenges where efficiency and strategic business decisions are as crucial as technical skill. They've even introduced the National Machining League, a 3-axis CNC machining competition for high school students, with impressive cash prizes for winners.

The Unifying Benefit: Confidence

At its core, what do these competitions offer? "To me, the thing that I see most is that it gives students confidence," says Smith. "It's hard to really test how good you are at something until you go up against other people." This competitive environment fosters an extreme level of self-assurance in young people, showing them they have the skills to succeed. It also teaches invaluable life lessons: teamwork, humility, and resilience in the face of setbacks. As Toni Neary aptly puts it, "My new favorite acronym is FAIL, first attempt in learning. So, fail up. So, when you're failing, learn from that."

These competitions are not just about finding the best; they're about building the confidence, skills, and character of the next generation of the manufacturing workforce.

Catch the whole conversation with Smith on the latest episode of Manufacturing the Workforce of Tomorrow here.