TechForce Foundation Announces 2026 Techs Rock Grand Prize Winners Following Nationwide Competition

Orlando's Dylan Bliss, an aspiring third-generation diesel technician, and Phoenix's Nathalie Ortiz, an aviation technician breaking barriers for women in the trades, honored at SEMA Show following nearly 800 nominations from 46 states

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TechForce Foundation, a national nonprofit championing students to and through technical education and into skilled technician careers, today celebrated Dylan Bliss and Nathalie Ortiz, its 2026 Techs Rock Awards Grand Prize winners, who were honored last week at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Bliss, a diesel technology student at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Orlando, is the Future Tech Grand Prize winner. Ortiz, an aviation technician at Honeywell who is studying avionics at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) in Phoenix, is the Working Tech Grand Prize winner.

This year's Techs Rock Awards drew nearly 800 nominations from 46 states. The field was narrowed to 12 finalists, six Future Techs and six Working Techs across six technical categories, and supporters cast more than 6,300 finalist selections during public voting to choose this year's Grand Prize winners.

"Techs Rock celebrates the next generation of technicians who are helping shape the future of the industry, " said Jennifer Maher, CEO of TechForce Foundation. "Dylan is still in school, and he's already thinking about the kind of mentor he wants to be. Nathalie is working at Honeywell, studying avionics and making time to help her classmates. That's what stood out to me about both of them. They're building careers they're proud of, and they're already helping other people see a place for themselves in this industry."

Meet the winners:

Dylan Bliss, Orlando, Florida, Future Tech Grand Prize Winner. A finalist in the Diesel category, Bliss is preparing to become a third-generation diesel technician. At UTI Orlando, he is building the foundation for a career in diesel technology, with a goal of becoming a master technician and one day mentoring the next generation of techs. His UTI community rallied behind him throughout public voting.

Nathalie Ortiz, Phoenix, Arizona, Working Tech Grand Prize Winner. A finalist in the Aviation, Motorcycle & Marine category, Ortiz works in aviation for Honeywell while studying avionics at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Phoenix. She supports fellow students with study strategies, finding course material, and developing confidence in hands-on work. She is especially committed to encouraging women to recognize their abilities and pursue their place in aviation maintenance.

The Grand Prize winners received a trip to Las Vegas for themselves and a guest, including round-trip airfare, a hotel stay on the Strip, full access to the SEMA Show, the SEMA Industry Awards, and two tickets to SEMA Fest. Each also received a 580-piece Carlyle Master Tool Set and equipment package valued at $8,000. The 10 other finalists each received a 224-piece Carlyle Master Tool Set and multipurpose stool valued at $1,500. Meet all 12 finalists at techforce.org/techs-rock.

Media availability: Bliss, Ortiz, and TechForce Foundation leadership are available for remote interviews, and photos and video from SEMA are available on request. To schedule, contact: [email protected]

About TechForce Foundation TechForce Foundation is a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) transforming how students pursue skilled technician careers. Through its modern workforce development platform, TechForce guides more than 100,000 students and working technicians along their career journey, connecting them to more than $6.5 million in annual scholarships, wraparound support, apprenticeships, and employment opportunities. Operating in all 50 states and U.S. territories and partnering with more than 1,400 schools, TechForce champions technicians across industries, including automotive, diesel, collision repair, aviation, marine, motorcycle, HVAC, welding, and emerging technologies. As a scalable, data-driven ecosystem, TechForce connects talent to opportunity at every stage of the workforce pipeline. For more information, visit techforce.org. Follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About SEMA and the SEMA Show The SEMA Show is a trade show produced by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), a nonprofit trade association founded in 1963. Since the first SEMA Show debuted in 1967, the annual event has served as the leading venue bringing together manufacturers and buyers within the automotive specialty equipment industry. Products featured at the SEMA Show include those that enhance the styling, functionality, comfort, convenience and safety of cars, trucks, side-by-sides, and two-wheel vehicles. Additional details are available at www.semashow.com or www.sema.org.

Press Contact:
Simone Hassan-Bey
TechForce Foundation
[email protected]

SOURCE TechForce Foundation