Plumbing apprentice wins medal at “Olympics of skilled trades”

Charles Goede, a 20-year-old from Waterford, Connecticut, has won a Medal for Excellence for his performance in the plumbing and heating category of a competition known as the “Olympics of skilled trades.”

What’s happening: The 2026 WorldSkills competition was held in Shanghai, China, from Sept. 22 to 27. 

• Nearly 1,400 young people (under age 25) from approximately 70 countries competed in 64 skills. 
• SkillsUSA, a workforce development organization representing nearly half a million students and teachers across the U.S., organized a team of nine competitors.
• The team brought home one bronze medal (Welding) and two Medals for Excellence (Cooking and Plumbing and Heating). 

Go deeper: In the Plumbing and Heating competition, Goede “showcased his mastery of advanced fluid, pressure and climate systems,” a news release states. 

• Goede attended Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School in Connecticut and is a fourth-year apprentice with the United Association Local 777. 
• Before heading to China, he received support and training from the PHCC Educational Foundation, IAPMO, the UA Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 777, and DeWalt.
• He was coached by Larry Shoemaker, who co-owns Pennsylvania-based Deluxe Plumbing & Heating. 

What they’re saying: Goede told Homepros via email, “It was such a tremendous honor to represent my country in the WorldSkills Competition! Receiving a Medal of Excellence was an incredible achievement that validates all the hard work, dedication, and time my team and I at SkillsUSA, PHCC, UA, and IAPMO put in to prepare for this event.”

Before the competition, Goede said in a video that he got into plumbing because “it spoke to me. I said to myself, ‘I can be in this trade for the rest of my life and be happy.’” 

• “It’s a lot of pressure to represent 410,000 of the greatest apprentices and journeymen, but I think I can do the UA proud,” he said in another.  

Looking ahead: The next WorldSkills competition will be held in Aichi, Japan, in 2028.