Editor's note:Tristan Coates, 22, will travel the world for specialized skills training to represent the United States in an international competition. But he's not competing in javelin, slalom skiing, or floor exercise—he's competing in carpentry.

In 2022, at just 18, Coates won the gold medal in carpentry at the SkillsUSA national competition for young skilled talent. Four years later, he received word that he had been selected for a nine-member U.S. team of young competitors for WorldSkills 2026 in Shanghai this September, alongside teammates in auto repair, welding, and other skills. Before the invitation, he had never left the country.

Coates, now 22, runs his own company, Coates Builder Improvements, in Jacksonville, Florida. He recently spoke with Construction Dive about representing his country and running a business at a young age.

Editor's note: The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Construction Dive: You're 22, both an international competitor of sorts and a business owner. How did you get here?

TRISTAN COATES:A family friend got me into it. He saw potential in me when I was young and encouraged me to enter construction. He's a contractor and took me on as an apprentice during the summers. I started mowing lawns around age 10 and did that for about 10 years, handling about 30 lawns a month—my own little business.

Then I brought that experience into construction. Now we do full-scope building from framing to finish work. We just built two garages with in-law suites from scratch. From layout to final touches, I know it all. I can read blueprints and turn design concepts into reality.

You won the SkillsUSA carpentry competition in 2022. How did that happen?

Actually, I didn't want to compete at first. My welding teacher at A. Philip Randolph Academy in Jacksonville—not even my carpentry teacher—saw potential in me. He said, "You need to join SkillsUSA, you need to compete."

By then, my company was already running because I officially started Coates Builders at 18. I wasn't really into it, but he pushed me, and I ended up winning regionals, states, and nationals.

Regionals was just a basic wall model: a small window, a four-foot wall, and a miter. States added a gable end and some siding. Nationals was more complex: it included a sloped roof, metal studs, windows, a deck, and stairs. The world competition will obviously be much more complex.

What does the world competition involve? What are your goals?

We're obviously going to try to at least place. It's definitely a challenge because U.S. carpentry is different from over there. Over there, it's called "stereotomy," which is traditional craft. A lot of this carpentry starts at the drafting board, with all lines drawn on paper—dense lines involving very complex angles. And it's all in metric, which is also a challenge.

But I think the biggest challenge is time—training time. Because this craft is so different from what we do in the U.S. We'll face a big challenge.

Did you expect to be going to Shanghai at the start?

It's incredible. The journey has been crazy and busy. I didn't even know what I was getting into at the time. The main thing is, I give everything my all. So I just rode it to the top.

For four years, I heard nothing from the expert who will accompany me—he's also the head judge for the carpentry competition in Atlanta. He suddenly called me and said, "I need a competitor." I said, "Why not?"

I haven't traveled much before, so I'm looking forward to this opportunity. I've never been to another country, but soon I'm going to Canada to train with a Swiss carpenter who won this event a few years ago.

You have a unique perspective as a young person and business owner. What advice do you have for others looking to enter construction?

The most important thing in this trade is your body, right? Look at older workers—their bodies are worn out.

Then it's money. Body and money. I think for young people, the key is to think about "how do I get to the top," not "how fast can I get to the top." It should be more like, "How do I get there the right way? How should I invest my time while I'm young to reach a level that older people who still don't know the trade haven't reached?"

When it comes to career growth and advancement, we have every resource at our fingertips these days, so there's no excuse for not knowing something or not figuring it out. I think that's a good thing.