Construction Ready held its 20th annual CareerExpo February 19-20 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. More than 8,500 students from across Georgia attended the CareerExpo, the state’s largest youth workforce development event for the construction industry. 

Organizers report the 2026 event was the largest ever, with students, companies, trade associations, educators, and parents attending for a total attendance of 12,103. That total includes more than 2,000 teachers, counselors, and parents, and 1,500 industry volunteers.

The need for skilled workers in the industry remains high. Construction Ready’s mission is to connect students to employers and post-secondary training and education programs. 

• The students explored interactive exhibits that demonstrated the scope of the industry and learned about specific career paths. 

• Students met with industry professionals, trade association representatives and educators from hundreds of organizations across the state including The Home Depot, Georgia Power, Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia.

The CareerExpo offered hands-on displays to give students the opportunity to work with industry leaders, equipment and materials. Attendees experienced the sights and sounds of a real construction site and the interactive experience allowed students to learn more about the industry and introduced them to specific career paths.

“Around Georgia, many schools - from elementary through high school - are offering construction education programs,” said Scott Shelar, President & CEO of Construction Ready. “Our goal with our annual CareerExpo is to encourage students to explore and pursue careers in construction, design, and energy, helping young people build their skills for what’s next.”

SkillsUSA Competition: CareerExpo 2026 also featured the SkillsUSA State Championship, a competition that allowed 600 students to showcase their skills in 26 construction-related disciplines. Winners will represent Georgia at the SkillsUSA Nationals Championship in Atlanta, June 1 - 5, 2026.

By the Numbers

• More than 17,000 Georgia public school students are enrolled in 150 skilled trade construction and metals programs throughout the state. 

• Industry professionals from over 300 companies in the state of Georgia participated in the CareerExpo to speak with students about their organizations’ work and career paths in the building and energy industries. 

• Industries represented included construction management, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, energy and more.

• Colleges and universities representing eight different career clusters: Architecture and Construction, Arts, A/V Technology and Communications, Energy, Government and Public Administration, Human Services, Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM), and Transportation, Distribution and Logistics.