Fall Leadership Packet Now Available
The time to begin planning for this years fall leadership conference is now. The informational packet is now available and can be found on the website, under the fall leadership conference tab. This years Fall Leadership Conference will be held at University of Lafayette's Student Union and the DoubleTree.
NEW for this year is in person advisor training presented by the SkillsUSA national staff!
Don't miss out on this once and a year opportunity.
Louisiana Pin, T-Shirt, and Banner Contest Announcement
This years Pin, T-Shirt and Banner contest will be held entirely at the Louisiana Fall Leadership Conference in November. The Pin and T-Shirt contest are two part contest that consist of design judging and interview presentation, for this reason the student needs to attend the conference to earn maximum points. View the leadership page for more details on these contest. Each student needs to be registered in each contest for an additional $5.
Join by Nov. 15 for Full Member Benefits
Becoming a professional member of SkillsUSA is one of the best ways to demonstrate to students the opportunities that membership provides. As a benefit of membership, professional members receive many resources and benefits including online access to:
Framework Integration Toolkit: The Framework Integration Toolkit has everything you need to ensure career readiness for students, including videos, lesson plans, activities and more.
Program of Work Toolkit: The Program of Work Toolkit includes resources to help implement an effective and successful Program of Work.
“Jump into STEM!”: A chapter curriculum for members to mentor and engage elementary and middle school students in STEM learning while creating an opportunity for future recruitment.
SkillsUSA Championships Technical Standards: The official rules and regulations for each of the SkillsUSA Championships career competitions.
Advisor Professional Development: A variety of training opportunities, from webinars to classroom to multi-day sessions. You’ll find a lot of options for different training needs.
As a membership incentive, instructors who register at least 15 student members in one technical program plus one or more professionals by Nov. 15 will receive a free SkillsUSA resource.
National dues for professional members are $28. Visit the registration site.
New “SKILLS JAM” Docuseries Offers Chance to Win $500 and More!
To celebrate the upcoming release of “SKILLS JAM,” the all-new docuseries inspired by (and featuring) SkillsUSA members, the Skills Jam crew is inviting you to participate in a special competition: SKILLS JAM BINGO! All you have to do to sign up is like this post on the SKILLS JAM Instagram page. Two challenges will be released each week. Complete all the challenges by Nov. 27 and be entered for your chance to win $500 plus more fun prizes! The episodic docuseries releases October 17 on the SKILLS JAM YouTube channel!
CHANNELLOCK Skilled Trades Site and Contest
SkillsUSA partner CHANNELLOCK hosts a “Trades 101” website that highlights the incredible benefits of a skilled trades career. On the site, students can explore trade schools, tips for choosing the right trade and steps to enter a trade field. In addition, CHANNELLOCK is holding a Trade School Trade-Up national initiative aimed at giving career and technical education programs across the country a chance to win shop makeovers and tools to foster learning success. Contest entries are due by Oct. 13.
SkillsUSA Membership Kits
SkillsUSA’s 2023-2024 membership kits can be accessed online. The membership kits include a comprehensive membership guide, quick-start guides, posters in Spanish as well as English and more. If you’re starting a new chapter, contact the SkillsUSA Customer Care Team to request a membership kit at 1-844-875-4557 or customercare@skillsusa.org. Membership cards can be printed from the membership registration system.
Happy Fall from the SkillsUSA Store
The SkillsUSA Store invites advisors and students to celebrate fall and gear up for the 2023-2024 school year with some NEW Collections and Store Favorites from over the years. Create a school order and show your SkillsUSA pride at upcoming events!
One-on-One Coaching on the Chapter Excellence Program
Is your chapter ready to take your Chapter Excellence Program (CEP) application to the next level, or do you need help getting started with your Program of Work (PoW)? Learn how to integrate the SkillsUSA Framework, articulate your SMART goals and select and evaluate Essential Elements within your CEP application. SkillsUSA offers one-on-one coaching sessions with Kelli Engelbrecht. Schedule your 30-minute Zoom coaching appointment here. For questions, contact Kelli Engelbrecht.
Pour the IndusTEA Virtual Industry Panels for Chapters
On Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. ET, SkillsUSA will host Pour the IndusTEA, an event that allows classrooms and chapters to engage directly industry professionals. This high-energy, informative experience will connect students with business and industry panelists in your career cluster right from your classroom —best of all, it’s free and everyone is welcome. Register your chapter leaders or your whole classroom and participate as a group. Registration opens Oct. 9 and closes Nov. 10.
Fall Professional Development Offerings
Take your SkillsUSA knowledge to the next level with SkillsUSA’s Fall Professional Development offerings. Sessions includes include new advisor training, SkillsUSA Framework integration, the SkillsUSA Advantage report, local career competition guides and more. Visit our training website and use this form to sign up for your selected sessions.
Payments for SkillsUSA Invoices Reminder
SkillsUSA national and state offices operate separately for invoice payments. As we start a new membership year, please be sure you (or your school’s accounting office) know where payments for SkillsUSA membership or materials should be sent. You should have two SkillsUSA vendors in your A/P system: SkillsUSA Inc. (the national headquarters) and your state office.
Before you make a payment, double check where the invoice is from and where the payment is to be mailed. Include the invoice number on the payment document to be sure your account is properly credited. To help clarify the SkillsUSA payment process, take time now to ensure your vendors are set up properly in your school system and keep this Where to Pay and How to Shop document as reference. If you need help or have questions, please contact our Customer Care Team at customercare@skillsusa.org or 844-875-4557. Careful checking on the front end will save time and problems later!
It’s Not Too Late to Support the Trades in Fashion
SkillsUSA partners Tractor Supply Company, the Tractor Supply Company Foundation and Carhartt have launched a new “Support the Trades” apparel collection to help advance skilled trades in the U.S. The Carhartt collection is sold exclusively at Tractor Supply in stores or online. The clothing line includes short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirts in several colors, plus three ball caps and two knit hats. For every item sold, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to SkillsUSA. Support the Trades first launched in 2021. Order your “Support the Trades” merchandise now and help spread the word by showcasing your attire on social media and tagging SkillsUSA! For more information, check out the new “Support the Trades” video.
Apply Now for ACTE Teacher and Lifetime Achievement Awards
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), in partnership with SkillsUSA, is seeking nominations for the National Trade and Industrial Education Division Awards to be presented during the ACTE CareerTech VISION conference scheduled for Nov. 29 – Dec. 2 in Phoenix. The deadline for nominations is Nov. 1. (Please note the Trade and Industrial VISION Awards are separate from the ACTE Excellence Awards.) Qualified individuals may be nominated for Teacher of the Year, New Teacher of the Year or Lifetime Achievement, and you may nominate yourself. (If you nominate someone else, be sure to notify the nominee.) Click here to make nominations. For additional conference information, visit ACTE CareerTech VISION.
National Apprenticeship Week in November
This year’s National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is Nov. 13-19. This national celebration established by the U.S. Department of Labor brings together business leaders, career seekers, labor, apprentices, educational institutions and others to showcase the positive impact apprenticeship programs have on addressing the skills gap and preparing the American workforce for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Join the celebration by hosting an event -- such as an apprenticeship graduation, business open house, high school career fair, skills competition or industry roundtable -- or submit a proclamation supporting NAW and apprenticeship. Learn more about NAW