Question: Can competitors miss the orientation and/or debriefing?
Answer: We only have flexibility due to unforeseen travel issues. We welcome our national competitors to participate in as much of their competition as scheduled.
The student(s) will need to check in with their technical committee chair upon arrival in Atlanta to determine what can be done and to cover what was missed, if applicable. The technical chair will make the determination on whether there will be a point deduction or other penalties from missing a requirement of the competition.
Question: When will the full NLSC schedule be available?
Answer: The full schedule will be available by May 15, 2026. Competitions generally follow a pattern of orientation on Tuesday, with competitions running Tuesday through Thursday, and some hosting a debrief on Friday.
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Maryland students who earn gold medals at the 2026 State Championship are eligible to represent Maryland at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) in Atlanta, Georgia, June 1-6, 2026.
The NLSC is a five-day / five-night conference experience, arriving Monday morning or afternoon, June 1, 2026, and departing anytime Saturday, June 6, 2026.
The 2026 NLSC registration fee for Maryland participants is $340. This fee includes both the National SkillsUSA conference registration cost and Maryland-specific extras including, T-shirt, trading pins, conference gifts, Monday evening Welcome Dinner and Orientation and Friday evening Maryland Awards Reception/Refreshments (immediately following National Awards Ceremony). The fee does not include housing, additional meals or air and ground transportation to and from the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, 265 Peachtree Center Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30303.
Hotel rooms are $246 per room / per night. To ensure accurate rooming/roommate selection and billing for advisors and students attending the national conference, advisors will assign and pay for rooms for their own chapter delegations. Students will be assigned to double-double rooms, 2-4 per room (2 double beds). Adults (only) have the option of staying in single rooms (1 King bed).
Rooms are prioritized for registered students, advisors and instructors. Once all Maryland delegation members have secured rooms the remaining room block will be made available for friends and family members.
Participants will use the SkillsUSA Conference Management System (CMS) online platform to register for this conference.
Online registration closes early this year! Friday, April 24, 2026.