SALT LAKE CITY — More than 200 students from across the country are in Salt Lake City this week, competing in the Associated Builders and Contractors' 2026 National Craft Championships, but this is not about hot glue guns and glitter; it's a construction and trade management competition highlighting skills that industry leaders say are in high demand.
"Each of these apprentices they spend two, three, four years building up the knowledge to be able to come here and compete," said former competitor Joel Dutton. "It's nerve-wracking, but it's also a lot of fun."
Joel Dutton is one of many former competitors who have found success in the construction industry. He competed in the competition in 2017 and is now a pre-construction manager and general contractor. "I'm still very much involved in the process, but it's on the white-collar side instead of the blue-collar side," Dutton said.
Industry leaders like Tresa Folkman, President of the local ABC chapter says the competition comes at a critical time, as Utah continues to grow and demand for skilled workers increases. "Between housing, the Entertainment District, the Olympics coming, our highways and freeways are constantly having work down and we need workers," Folkman said.
Folkman says hosting the competition in Salt Lake City for the first time could help spark local interest in construction careers.
"When I come down on this floor, it thrills me to see the action, and the work, and the hard dedication these students have put into their time and effort," Folkman said.
She adds that the industry offers strong career opportunities — often without the need for a traditional college degree. "You can come out of that industry or whichever trade you want to go into, making a pretty dang good living," she explained.
From the systems that power buildings to the infrastructure we rely on every day, Dutton says the impact of construction work is everywhere, even when it goes unnoticed.
"This is a great controlled environment to see it, to experience it, to enjoy it, and learn a lot more about it," Dutton said.
The National Craft Championships are open to the public from 8 a.m. To 3 p.m. at the Salt Palace Thursday.
