SkillsUSA
What is SkillsUSA?
A technical student-led organization that empowers students to become skilled professionals. Students work on and improve their personal, technical, and workplace skills.
Who can join SkillsUSA?
Any student in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. CTE programs at ONC BOCES include Automotive Service Technician, Building Trades, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Equipment Operation and Repair, Health Occupations, Information Technologies, Mechatronics, Natural Resources Occupations, New Visions Engineering, Visual Arts Communication and Technology, and Welding and Metal Fabrication.
What do SkillsUSA members do?
They compete in skill-based competitions that prepare them for the workforce.
They develop leadership skills.
They enhance their technical and professional skills.
They network with industry professionals, potential employers, and other students who are a part of SkillsUSA.
Overall, SkillsUSA members engage in activities that help them develop technical skills, leadership activities, and a sense of professionalism.
What are the benefits of being a SkillsUSA member?
Scholarship opportunities
Gaining confidence
Developing teamwork skills
Gaining skills for the workforce
Compete in competitions
Enhance professional networking
Develop leadership skills
SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations
Membership: More than 300,000 students and advisors join SkillsUSA annually, organized into more than 17,000 sections and 54 state and territorial associations. Combining alumni and lifetime membership, the total number impacted is more than 320,000. SkillsUSA has served more than 10.5 million members.
Mission: SkillsUSA's mission is to help its members become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens.
SkillsUSA is an applied method of instruction for preparing America’s high performance workers in public career and technical programs. It provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. It builds and reinforces self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. It emphasizes total quality at work—high ethical standards, superior work skills, life-long education, and pride in the dignity of work. SkillsUSA also promotes understanding of the free-enterprise system and involvement in community service.
Partners: In 2011, more than 16,600 teachers and school administrators served as professional SkillsUSA members and advisors. More than 1,100 business, industry and labor sponsors actively support SkillsUSA at the national level through financial aid, in-kind contributions, and involvement of their people in SkillsUSA activities. Many more work directly with state associations and local chapters.
Programs: SkillsUSA programs include local,state and national competitions in which students demonstrate
occupational and leadership skills. At the annual national-level SkillsUSA Championships, over 5,500 students compete in 94 occupational and leadership skill areas.
SkillsUSA programs also help to establish industry standards for job skill training in the lab and classroom, and promote community service. SkillsUSA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and is cited as a "successful model of employer-driven youth development training program" by the U.S. Department of Labor.
