LINN — State Tech President Dr. Shawn Strong welcomed students to campus on Thursday for Missouri’s 58th annual State Leadership and SkillsUSA Conference. “It is an honor and a privilege for State Tech to host this conference each year,” said Dr. Strong. “Over the next few days, we will have the best Missouri has to offer on the State Tech campus. Regardless of how you perform, remember that you are the best of the best and should be proud to have made it this far.” 

Approximately 75 schools were represented from across the state, with 2,000 contestants registered for contests.

Dr. Strong told students at SkillsUSA that though he holds four degrees, the most valuable is the two-year Associate of Applied Science he earned at Northwest Iowa Technical College.

“It taught me critical thinking skills, landed me several great jobs, and is ultimately a significant reason that today, I am the president of one of the best technical colleges in the country,” said Dr. Strong. “You have skills that will take you far in life. My advice: use your skills and your vocation to be the very best at what you do.”

Dr. Strong added that students would find that in life, just showing up is half the battle. “If you take advantage of the opportunities you’re presented and look for new opportunities, I guarantee yours will open,” he said. “In fact, your passion will make a career out of your competition area. Some of you will move on to other passions. Some of you, hopefully, a lot of you, will come to State Tech next fall. And, if you haven’t heard, we do a pretty good job of technical education.”

The college has been named number one by WalletHub for the last six years, Forbes ranked State Tech third-best in the country, and other institutions have likewise given the college high marks.

State Tech has the best graduation rate in the country as well, Dr. Strong added. “I’m a bit biased, but no one does technical education better than State Tech, and our national rankings back this up,” said Dr. Strong, who encouraged students to check out the campus and see the new buildings and those under construction.

He touted the college’s Safety Village, unlike anything else in the state. Dr. Strong also suggested that students check out Lake State Tech and Osage View for a good meal.

“When it comes to the workforce, infrastructure, and utility education, nobody does it better than State Tech,” Dr. Strong added. “We know you have lots of options when it comes to college. Some of you have selected a college, some of you are just beginning that journey, and I would venture to say some of you are seniors and behind in that process.

“If you want the best for yourself, consider State Tech,” he told students.

Dr. Strong added that State Tech participates in the A+ Program, which means students who qualify can attend for free.

“That’s right, you can attend the best two-year college in the country for free,” he said. “With that, I will leave you with our tagline: ‘From the Classroom to Your Career, State Tech is the Employers’ Choice.’ Whatever you decide, you are the future of the great state of Missouri; good luck, and I hope to see you as a State Tech student soon.”

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Assistant Commissioner for the Office of College and Career Readiness Travis Plume welcomed competitors with a story. “My father worked for 30 years at the Chrysler Corporation in Missouri, where he worked as a welder and repairman on the assembly line, putting cars and trucks together, and it was hard work,” he said. “Some people had thoughts about that type of work. My father always had a saying that he felt that if people were going to spend their hard-earned money to purchase a car that he put together, he owed it to them to do the best job that he could in the best way that he knew how; what a message to send to your son. I learned from my dad that all work matters, regardless of your occupation. If we take it upon ourselves to put in our share of the effort, and we do that with care and intentional acts of kindness towards others, some people might call that love. That’s really the recipe for building a better world for ourselves and for those who come behind us. Each of you has something in your life that helped ignite your potential. Someone helped drive you to this very spot at this very time. For no random reason, you are here today to demonstrate the hard-earned skills you have developed. Now is your time to shine. Now is your time to act, and now is your time to show your teachers, family, and community that you, in fact, deserve to stand on this stage in two days, raising your hands high with pride, saying that I’m from the Show-Me State, and I am ready to tackle my future.”

Plume has served in a variety of leadership roles for the last 25 years, including college admissions, science teacher, school counselor, and Career Center administrator.

Members of VFW Post 4756 presented colors to kick off the ceremony, and veterans and active military personnel were recognized and honored for their service.

SkillsUSA Missouri state officers presented information about the organization, including many skills that are needed in the workplace, such as teamwork, adaptability and flexibility, job-specific skills, and communication. Essential elements give students the ability and confidence to be innovative and try new things. SkillsUSA programs and conferences constantly push participants out of their comfort zones as they prepare for the workforce.

National SkillsUSA post-secondary treasurer Allie Cadue noted the conference means a lot to her because of her four-year journey. “I’ve had the pleasure of attending this conference at many different stages in my leadership journey — once as a junior advisor, with one goal of becoming a state officer but not being elected by the delegates; as a senior competing in two contests, re-running for state office and leaving a champion,” she said. “I served my first year of college at schools in Missouri as secondary president, and now as a national officer, where I get to watch and support members from all over the country chase their dreams in every stage of this process. I have witnessed firsthand the power of perseverance, dedication, and the amazing things that happen when we believe in our potential. I’m not here only to welcome you but to remind you that your journey is just beginning. This group is filled with leaders, innovators, and the overall future of our industries. During this conference, I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone. Meet new people, build connections, embrace every opportunity that shines in front of you as we go through this conference this week, and hold your head high. Remember that you are limitless, and know that the future is yours for the taking. Everyone in this room is destined for success, and the best is yet to come. SkillsUSA, the world is waiting for you.”

Most contests were held on campus, but the fire test was conducted at Linn Fire Protection District Station 1. LFPD had an extra station for an oral interview and resume. The evaluator judges their demeanor, pose, and answers and reviews their resume like a real-world job interview.

Another off-campus test site was Osage Ambulance District Base 1 in Linn, which hosted the SkillsUSA Missouri First Aid/CPR State competition again this year. OAD co-hosted the EMT Competition with the University of Missouri EMS Education.

SkillsUSA, founded in 1965, is dedicated to ensuring that America has high-quality workers. More than 350,000 students and advisors join the National Education Nonprofit Association each year.

This conference offered students the chance to showcase the skills they have learned through career and technical education (CTE) programs and boasted more than 70 competitions that highlighted the practical applications of the knowledge received through these programs.

Winners from the 2025 Missouri SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference will represent Missouri at the annual National Leadership and Skills Conference later this year.