WorldSkills USA Team Wins in Lyon!
SkillsUSA competitor Wyatt Hansen, age 20, of Utah won a bronze medal in Welding at the WorldSkills Competition, held Sept. 10-15 at Eurexpo in Lyon, France. Also earning honors at the event were Nathan Bulthuis, 20, of Illinois competing in Automotive Technology and Cale Mouser, age 22, of Kansas competing in Heavy Vehicle Technology, each receiving Medallions of Excellence. Gabe Eady, age 22, earned the Best of Nation in Mechatronics. A Medallion of Excellence is awarded to competitors who have accumulated a threshold score but do not medal while Best of Nation rewards the best competitor from each country or region represented, all skills included. Hansen, Bulthuis, Mouser and Eady were four of just seven young U.S. competitors at the 2024 WorldSkills, which is held every two years around the world. Congratulations to this team, their experts and team leaders. For more information, see the WorldSkills USA microsite and Craig Moore’s photos of the competition are available here.
Register Now for ELEVATE!
The SkillsUSA Elevate Chapter Officer Development Conference is Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. This virtual interactive experience focuses on building successful chapters by equipping local chapter officer teams with the skills to lead and serve their local members. Elevate is open to all SkillsUSA chapter officers and an advisor must attend with their team. Participate right in your classroom, and the cost is only $10 per person. Download the Elevate flyer to share with your chapter officers. Register no later than Oct. 1 by visiting SkillsUSA's website.
SkillsUSA Aerotek “Mark Your Mark” Scholarships Now Open
SkillsUSA members nationwide in select trade areas are encouraged to apply for the SkillsUSA Aerotek “Make Your Mark” scholarship. The scholarship is for SkillsUSA members with direct educational costs for the Spring 2025 term at a community college, technical college, certificate program or apprenticeship program. Applications are being accepted until Nov. 4. Scholarship winners will receive up to $5,000 toward tuition, books, tools, on-campus housing or other approved direct educational expenses. Applicants must be enrolled in continuing education or career training in one of these pathways: Construction; Manufacturing; Transportation, Distribution & Logistics; Telecommunications Cabling Training; and Electronics Technology or Industrial Engineering Technology. For more information, review all eligibility criteria and the flyer. For more information, contact scholarship manager Hannah Scheffer.
The Early Member Gets the Benefits
The SkillsUSA membership site is open, and we encourage advisors to register early so they receive all mailings and emails. Be sure to sign up with an email address you regularly check! 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 Framework podium banner. Professional members receive numerous benefits including the SkillsUSA Framework Integration Toolkit, Program of Work Toolkit, SkillsUSA Championships Technical Standards, E-Courses and opportunities for professional development. National membership dues for professional members are $20 plus state dues, which vary. State dues and deadlines can be found here.
If you need assistance locating membership information on the SkillsUSA website, our new crosswalk document will help you easily locate the information you need!
Membership Registration Training Sessions Now Available
The SkillsUSA Customer Care Team (CCT) is now offering membership registration training sessions. These sessions are designed to guide you step-by-step through the process of registering your members. It’s also a great opportunity to ask any questions you might have and receive personalized assistance from our team. Sign up and choose a session that fits your schedule. For questions, contact the Customer Care Team at 844-875-4557 or customercare@skillsusa.org.
SkillsUSA Technical Thursdays in September
Join us for Technical Thursdays, SkillsUSA workshops led by industry experts helping teachers develop technical skills relevant to their career fields of interest. Leave these free virtual sessions with new skills to implement in your classroom. On Sept. 26, from 4-5 p.m. ET, Jeff Powalisz from Heidelberg North America will give a brief history of printing, show offset printing samples, and demonstrate how ink and water work together on a lithographic plate to create an image that can be transferred to paper. Participants will earn a Professional Development (PD) certificate. Learn more and register for the workshops here (space is limited). For questions, contact Karolina Belen.
New Assessments Released
SkillsUSA has released six new technical assessments and new SkillsUSA Framework Essential Element assessments.
· SkillsUSA technical assessments are an evaluation tool to determine a students’ understanding and application of knowledge in a particular subject or trade area. For each assessment, there is a blueprint of the related standards, competencies and academic skills. New this year, we have introduced six new or updated technical assessments, which complement our existing offerings, including Customer Service, Career Ready and the six Print ED student certification assessments. The new technical assessments are Carpentry, Cosmetology, Criminal Justice/CSI, Electrical Construction Wiring, Television (Video) Production and Welding. A full list of the available assessments, along with their blueprints outlining the standards, competencies and academic skills is located on the Career Essentials website and in the Technical Assessment flyer.
· The SkillsUSA Framework 17 Essential Element modules and assessments represent the skills most-demanded by industry employers in high-quality workplaces. Students can become certified in each Essential Element. The modules are available for purchase individually, bundled by each of the three Framework Components, or by purchasing the entire SkillsUSA Framework assessment set. Students who score 80% or higher on an Essential Element assessment will receive a certificate of proficiency. More information is available on the Career Essentials website and in the Essential Element Assessment flyer.
For questions or help with ordering, contact the Customer Care Team at 844-875-4557 or customercare@skillsusa.org.
SkillsUSA Career Essential Courses for MS, HS and C/PS Schools
While many CTE instructors have mastered instruction of their trade area, teaching universal career-readiness skills to students can be daunting. At the same time, employability skills are critical to the long-term success of students in all trade areas. Check out the video overview of the Career Essentials Courses.
· Learners in any trade area can access their Career Essentials course online through their account in SkillsUSA Absorb. Instructors monitor student progress via an administrative dashboard.
· Instructors have control over which (and how many) projects students complete.
· Learners have access to their course for 365 days after enrollment.
· Instructors can use the entire course, a segment of a course, or one individual unit depending on their available time and budget. View pricing and purchase options.
For customer support Monday-Friday, for help placing an order or to learn more about the revisions to SkillsUSA Career Essentials, email the Customer Care Team or call 844-875-4557.
CHARGE SkillsUSA Chapter Officer Video Series
SkillsUSA 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. Here are the first four:
· Episode 1 is called “Getting to Know Your Team.” Chapter officers will have a fun time getting to know one another and talking about their goals for the year.
· Episode 2 is all about the SkillsUSA Framework and makes learning the 17 Essential Elements fun, easy and applicable.
· Episode 3 guides chapter officers through their roles and responsibilities.
· Episode 4 is focused on teaching the chapter officers how to utilize the four pillars of leadership to become effective chapter leaders.
Fall Professional Development Offerings
SkillsUSA has a series of new virtual Professional Development Training Sessions for September, October and November. Offerings include new advisor training, SkillsUSA Framework integration, member recruitment resources and Chapter Excellence Program training. Don’t miss this convenient and free opportunity to enhance your skills and gain SkillsUSA knowledge that will support your chapter’s success! Class space is limited, so be sure to secure your place early. Participants will earn a Professional Development (PD) certificate. For questions, contact Karolina Belen.
Bob Westphal Memorial Scholarship Awards Announced
The SkillsUSA–Bob Westphal Memorial Scholarship provides annual scholarship awards to applicants who demonstrate promise in the construction trades, with an emphasis on sustainability. The winners are:
· High School - Stone Osborn, Western Welding Academy, Ga.
· High School – Megan Bailey, Chico High School, Calif.
· College/Postsecondary – Edmund Bentley, Alfred State College, N.Y.
· College/Postsecondary – East Tennessee State University, Tenn.
Share Your Success Stories with the SkillsUSA Nation
The SkillsUSA Champions digital hub provides new content weekly, from inspiring features to “Spotlight” stories about the great work chapters and partners are doing. To share your chapter’s work or a member’s story for publication (even if that story is yours), send us the details through our “Submit a Story” link.
Louisiana Calendar for the 2024 2025 School Year
You can access this years current calendar on our website for the most current and up to date information and you can also get a printable version under the Advisor Resources tab
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