Golden Strip Career Center Instructor Named SkillsUSA National Advisor of the Year
June 8, 2026
A local educator has reached the pinnacle of national recognition in career and technical education. Bryan Raeckelboom, a building construction instructor at the Golden Strip Career Center, was officially named the National SkillsUSA Advisor of the Year during the organization’s national convention in Atlanta, Georgia.
The prestigious national accolade recognizes the absolute best career and technical education instructors in the country, honoring individuals who demonstrate exceptional dedication to empowering students and preparing them for workforce success.
A Multi-Level Path to Victory
The national title marks the culmination of a highly competitive evaluation process spanning the entire school year. Raeckelboom advanced to the national stage after first winning top state honors as the South Carolina SkillsUSA Advisor of the Year earlier this spring, followed by a regional title as the Region 2 Advisor of the Year.
At the national convention, industry leaders and educational executives selected him from a elite field of regional finalists representing technical education centers across the United States. Photos from the convention hall show Raeckelboom wearing the signature red SkillsUSA blazer while accepting both his regional plaque and the glass national trophy.
Driving Workplace and Technical Excellence
As a building construction instructor at the Golden Strip Career Center on Butler Road, Raeckelboom has spent years training Upstate high school students in structural technical skills, job site safety, and vocational leadership.
Administration officials at the career center praised his ability to seamlessly blend classroom theory with real-world application, noting that his instructional approach has consistently produced career-ready graduates who transition directly into high-demand construction and engineering fields across the Upstate.
