Owen Kelly
Triton College student Owen Kelly of River Grove earned first place and a gold medal at the SkillsUSA Illinois state competition this past spring. Kelly outperformed more than 300 students regionally, advancing to the state competition and winning in Pekin, Ill.
Kelly will now compete at SkillsUSA’s National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) on June 1-5, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference will bring together more than 19,000 attendees from across the country, including students, instructors, industry partners and government officials.
At the conference, Kelly will participate the National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC), where more than 6,000 state champions will compete for national gold, silver and bronze medals in 114 skilled and leadership competitions. If he wins the national competition, Kelly will qualify to compete for the world competition, which includes participants from 80 countries.
“I feel very honored,” said Kelly. “As a mechanic and someone who aspires to be a master technician, this is a step in the right direction.”
The SkillsUSA Championship serve as a premier showcase of America’s most highly skilled career and technical education students. According to National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC)’s website, the event is one of the largest hands-on workforce development showcases in the world.
“Owen is very knowledgeable,” said Louie Longhi, an automotive instructor. “Through a manual and written test, Owen was able to take what he learned in the classroom and apply it in the competition. We’re getting him ready for the next level.”
Kelly is studying Automotive Technology at Triton College and is a part of the General Motors (GM) partnership program. He and his peers are sponsored by area dealerships, allowing students to “earn while they learn.” Currently working as a mechanic, Kelly feels grateful for the opportunities he has received at Triton.
“I wanted to come to Triton because they had a really good GM program,” he explained. “The instructors at Triton truly make the school exceptional. They have always stayed late to assist me and genuinely care.”
Kelly said Triton has “changed his life,” giving him real automotive skills in the classroom and the confidence to compete at the SkillsUSA Championship. He is excited to graduate from Triton in May with the tools to become an exceptional mechanic.
“I don’t think I would have attained that kind of knowledge without Triton,” he said.
A car lover, Kelly is preparing for the national competition by “working on cars” and following his passion.
“I’m excited for this opportunity,” he said.