ATLANTA, GA — Festo Didactic is returning to the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 1 – 5. This year, Festo is placing a heavy emphasis on semiconductor workforce training to address critical national priorities and the growing skills gap in the electronics industry. 

“As a critical enabler of the digital economy, semiconductors drive technological advancement across consumer electronics, automotive, healthcare, and a wide range of industries,” said Octavio Rojas, Sales Director for Festo Didactic US. “By introducing semiconductor careers to students now, we are making them aware that high-paying, in-demand opportunities are within their reach, building directly upon the mechatronics skills they are already learning.”   

Semiconductor Seminar: “Bring the Fab to Your Lab”

As a highlight of this year's event, Festo will host semiconductor seminars in the mechatronics competition area. The seminar represents the first step in establishing a formal semiconductor competition for future SkillsUSA and WorldSkills competitions. 

Festo will facilitate four sessions for the seminar:

Session 1: (Competitors only) – 06/02/2026 Tuesday 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Session 2: (Open to all) – 06/03/2026 Wednesday 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Session 3: (Open to all) – 06/03/2026 Wednesday 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Session 4: (Open to all) – 06/04/2026 Thursday 10:00 am to 11:30 am

The seminar will cover essential technologies used in semiconductor manufacturing, including a brief introduction to Festo’s Semiconductor Learning Pathway.

Hands-On Inspection Challenge

Suit up, scan in, and test your accuracy in a guided wafer inspection activity.

Participants will:

• Learn a quick cleanroom gowning routine
• Reduce static charge using ionization equipment
• Transfer a wafer with an inspection vacuum wand
• Locate and verify inspection coordinates under a digital scope

Who Should Attend

Students, instructors, advisors, administrators, and industry partners. No prior semiconductor experience required.

Mechatronics Competition

More than 50 high school and college students will compete in the SkillsUSA mechatronics competition. Festo has provided state-of-the-art learning systems for SkillsUSA and WorldSkills mechatronics competitions around the world since 1991. This year, the competition continues to mature and grow in impressive ways.

Mechatronics competitors will be tasked with building a mechatronics system using Festo’s factory simulated training equipment (the MecLab, Skills Conveyor, and more). The MecLab and Skills Conveyor challenges students to assemble, integrate and program components to create an automated system that’s capable of completing a specific task.

The competition is created and judged by industry professionals to ensure that students acquire the competencies and hands-on skill sets that today’s employers need.

Certification Opportunities

Festo will join certification partner NC3 in the Exhibit Hall to provide consultations on the Festo Industry Certification Program (FICP), which serves students as young as middle school, all the way through to post-secondary career advancement. 

“These certifications aren't just about passing a test, they are critical building blocks for what’s to come in semiconductor manufacturing and Industry 5.0,” explained Alyssa Evans, Festo Technical Support Engineer and SkillsUSA Mechatronics Technical Chair. “Once students acquire the mechatronics skills taught in FICP Level I through Level III, they can advance straight into learning in a mock cleanroom. From an employer perspective, this is a bridge from the classroom into some of the most in-demand careers in the country.”

Festo also continues its commitment to educator professional development through NC3 Train-the-Trainer workshops. This year’s offerings during SkillsUSA include two specialized certifications:

• Festo Bionics4Education: Hands-on training with Festo’s Bionic Flower and bionic-inspired STEM kits.
  • Thursday, June 4 from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Lunch will be provided.
  • Heavily discounted rate for SkillsUSA NLSC Attendees
• Festo Introduction to Robotics: An introduction to robotics fundamentals designed for integration into high school and college curricula. 
  • Wednesday, June 3 from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Lunch will be provided.
  • Heavily discounted rate for SkillsUSA NLSC Attendees

Register for Train-the-Trainer Certification

Exhibit Booth #846, Building C

Festo’s next-gen learning systems will be on display at the exhibit booth in Building C, Booth #846. Observe advanced automation teaching demos and interact with classroom robots designed to simulate real factory floor production.  

• Semiconductor Manufacturing Learning Pathway Curriculum & Equipment
• SkillsConveyor with Universal Robots UR3e
• MecLab Cobot with MecLab Conveyor Station
• Collector’s Pin: A limited-edition, custom-designed Festo pin for SkillsUSA competitors featuring a spinning robotic arm.