SkillsUSA Membership Kit Mailed and Online
SkillsUSA’s new, opportunity-filled membership kits have been mailed to registered advisors and should arrive shortly. You can also access the kit online. If you’re starting a new chapter, contact the SkillsUSA Customer Care Team so
they can send you a Membership Kit as part of the welcome process. Membership cards can be printed from the membership registration system.
For assistance, contact Customer Care at 1-844-875-4557 or customercare@skillsusa.org.
Support the Trades in Fashion
SkillsUSA has once again teamed up with Tractor Supply Company (TSC) and Carhartt for the “Support the Trades” campaign, designed to raise awareness of SkillsUSA and help close the skilled trades gap. As part of the campaign, Carhartt and TSC have an expanded “Support the Trades” line of shirts and hats designed by Carhartt, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to SkillsUSA! Show your pride for the skilled trades you proudly represent and the “Champions at Work” who keep our nation moving. The exclusive T-shirts and hats for women and men are now available at Tractor Supply Online or your local TSC store. Check out this promotional video and follow the campaign on SkillsUSA’s social media this fall.
Plan Now for Manufacturing Day
Many SkillsUSA chapters participate in Manufacturing Day, a celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation. While the 2022 Manufacturing Day is celebrated on Oct. 7, you can hold events on any date in October. Activities for students may include a plant tour, a virtual industry tour or an event on campus that highlights manufacturing.
SkillsUSA chapters should share their Manufacturing Day photos and stories with Hayley Uffelman, SkillsUSA’s social media manager, at huffelman@skillsusa.org.
Wolverine and Ram Trucks Support SkillsUSA
Wolverine and Ram Trucks have collaborated again this year on a Labor Day Campaign for the “Wolverine x Ram” line of work
boots, built in the USA and inspired by the iconic details of Ram Trucks. To support the next generation of skilled workers, Wolverine and Ram are donating $10 to SkillsUSA for every pre-order from the new line (which also includes T-shirts and socks). Check out the collection now, and please spread the word!
Help for Your Chapter Recruitment Meeting
Planning the first member recruitment meeting of the year can be daunting. Use our Chapter Leader Planning Guide (part of SkillsUSA’s Recruitment Week resources hub) to learn how your chapter leaders can successfully lead a first chapter meeting while also planning a local recruitment week to engage potential new SkillsUSA members. You’ll also find advisor resources to help coach your chapter leaders around recruitment and engaging potential new members.
CHARGE: A SkillsUSA Chapter Officer Video Series
Advisors work hard to teach their chapter officer teams how to be successful leaders. SkillsUSA recognizes the challenge and has developed a program that makes it easier to create a strong chapter officer team. CHARGE is a weekly video series that covers topics that chapter officers will find useful in the day-to-day management of their local SkillsUSA chapters. Each CHARGE video features an activity guide to support chapter officer growth and development. There are 12 three-minute episodes in the series. Access CHARGE here.
A Wealth of Professional Development This Fall
Please join your fellow SkillsUSA advisors and attend SkillsUSA’s new Fall Professional Development offerings. These sessions can assist you in launching the new school year. Here are just a few:
· Sept. 9 at 10:30 a.m. ET. — New Advisor Training. Through this professional development program (built intentionally for advisors in their first, second or third year), you will be advising a high-quality, engaging chapter in no time.
· Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. — Professional Development Day. By registering, you can attend all five sessions or just one. The topics and times are as follows: Professional Membership Benefits (10-11 a.m. ET); Framework Implementation (11:15 a.m.-12 p.m. ET); How to Give Impactful Feedback (1-2 p.m. ET); Program of Work (2-2:45 p.m. ET); and Chapter Meetings: Success Stories (3-4 p.m. ET).
· Sept. 27 at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. ET. — Professional Membership Benefits. During this session, we will learn how to navigate the SkillsUSA Absorb Learning Management System (LMS) and discover all the resources that you can use. Register through Zoom by finding the session on the calendar here.
Register for all sessions through absorb.skillsusa.org. Learn more about these and other fall professional development offerings from SkillsUSA's online training calendar. For questions, contact Karolina Belen
Research on High School Students and Future CTE Careers
SkillsUSA and the Student Research Foundation — with the help of the Manufacturing Institute, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity, and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation — are collaborating on new research about high school students’ perceptions of their education and career opportunities. By including your students as part of this research project, you can help them gain access to postsecondary scholarship opportunities,
research career options and connect with schools looking for students with their specific skill sets. To participate, watch for a package by mail from the National College and Career Pathways Study (Research Consortium on CTE Career Pathways). To make sure you are on the mailing list, fill out this form or send an email to: info@studentresearchfoundation.org. You can also download the infographic representing last year’s research here.
SkillsUSA Technical Fridays Workshops Start in September
Join us for “Technical Fridays,” SkillsUSA’s virtual workshops led by industry experts helping teachers develop specific technical skills relevant to their career fields of interest. Leave the sessions with a new skill to implement in your classroom. Learn more about the workshops here. On Sept. 30, from 3-4 p.m. ET, we will be joined by Linnell Burton, a certified crime scene investigator, anti-terrorist crime scene instructor, and a founder of Blueprint Camp LLC. Her session was delivered at the 2022 SkillsUSA University in Atlanta and earned a 98% “highly recommended” rate. Workshops are free of charge. Register here (space is limited). If you have questions, contact Karolina Belen.
Registration Now Open for ELEVATE!
The SkillsUSA Elevate Chapter Officer Development Conference is Oct. 19 from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET. Plan now to attend this virtual interactive experience for local officer teams that focuses on building successful chapters by equipping officers with the skills to lead and serve their local members. Elevate is open to all SkillsUSA local chapter officers. At least one advisor must participate with each registered team. Participate right from your classroom. The cost is $10 per participant. Register through the membership site here.