SkillsUSA
Encyclopedia
SkillsUSA is a United States career and technical student organization
serving more than 320,000 high school and college students and professional members enrolled in training programs in technical, skilled, and service occupations, including health occupations. Since 2010, SkillsUSA has had Thomas Kercheval create the theme song to SkillsUSA. The 3 versions of the theme-song are: Hip Hop, Instrumental, & Rock. These versions are available for digital purchase & download on iTunes for $0.99 each.
(AVA) held a meeting, where a committee was formed to facilitate a solution. Representatives from the U.S. Office of Education and the National Association of State Supervisors of Trade and Industrial Education (NASSTIE – now known as the Association for Skilled and Technical Sciences – ASTS – http://www.astsonline.org) formed the committee. By 1962, the AVA encouraged the Office of Education to hire an employee to form the national organization. At the 1964 AVA convention, powerful leaders of industry and organizational leaders to include U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Secondary School Principals
spoke in favor of the proposed organization.
The constitution establishing the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America was adopted at the Trade and Industrial Youth Conference May 6–8, 1965 at the Hotel Andrew Jackson in Nashville
, Tennessee. Representatives for 14 states, consisting of approximately 200 students, advisors, and business and labor representatives, gathered to choose the club's name, colors, motto, purposes and goals. The official red blazer, part of the organization's uniform, was patterned after the blazer from Illinois's organization. These representatives were from existing vocational education groups which agreed to finance the effort, from the states of Alabama
, Arkansas
, Georgia
, Illinois
, Indiana
, Ohio
, Oklahoma
, North Carolina
, Missouri
, South Carolina
, Tennessee
, Texas, Virginia
and West Virginia
. Illinois actually provided the salary for Philip Baird to be the first executive secretary of the newly founded VICA. The National FFA Organization
is credited with making the first financial contribution. The American Vocational Association offered office space at no cost in its Washington headquarters. Additionally, the AVA's Trade and Industrial Division provided a grant.
Tommy Snider from Griffin, Georgia
was elected as VICA's first student president and Larry W. Johnson, the assistant supervisor of T&I education and state advisor for the Vocation Industrial Clubs of North Carolina, became the first executive secretary of VICA on July 1, 1965. He continued in the position until 1987.
By 1966, membership was up to 29,534, spanning 1,074 clubs across 26 states and territories. Additionally, the first issue of the club's magazine was produced. At the national conference, held in Little Rock
, Arkansas, the VICA emblem was unveiled, and the first official state charters
were presented.
In 1969, the Postsecondary Division of VICA was approved during a Constitutional Convention held in Memphis, Tennessee
, bringing total membership to 82,000. The following year, the first edition of the VICA Leadership Handbook. was published.
On VICA's ten year anniversary (1975), the organization inducted its one millionth member. Three years later, VICA saw the start of the construction of its National Leadership Center in Leesburg, Virginia
.
VICA hosted the International Youth Skill Olympics—held a competition following the National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC)—for the first time in 1981, in Atlanta.
In 1995, the national competition, then known as the United States Skill Olympics, was renamed to the Skills USA Championships during the NLSC. In, 1999, during the NLSC, VICA was renamed to SkillsUSA-VICA; The name was shortened to SkillsUSA in 2004.
, Guam
and the Virgin Islands
). Membership continues to grow rapidly and with 313,180 members registered for the 2009–10 year, the organization has a new record number of members in the history of the organization.
Approximately 16,389 teachers and school administrators serve as professional SkillsUSA members and instructors.
More than 1,100 corporations, trade associations and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA on a 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.
SkillsUSA programs include local, state and national competitions. During the annual national-level SkillsUSA Championships, more than 5,400 students compete in 96 hands-on skill and leadership contests.
SkillsUSA programs also help to establish industry standards for job skill training in the classroom and is cited as a "successful model of employer-driven youth development training program" by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Student2Student Mentoring gives high school students a chance to mentor younger students.
CareerSafe is a credentialed 10-hour online training program developed in cooperation with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to provide students with basic knowledge of safety and a credential desired in the job market.
The Career Skills Education Program (CSEP) contains 49 online lessons teaching basic employment and life skills to college/postsecondary students.
The SkillsUSA Work Force Ready System is a comprehensive tool to help students document entry-level skills as defined by industry and accepted by state education policy. Developed under a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant, the Work Force Ready System will feature 47 industry-driven assessments.
The National Leadership and Skills Conference is held annually in Kansas City
, Missouri. Most of the competitions are held at Bartle Hall Convention Center
, on the showroom floor. The other competitions are held at Municipal Auditorium, American Royal Center, and the Marriott
(including the historic Muehlebach Tower
), Radisson
and Phillips hotels, located downtown. SkillsUSA members, delegates and advisors stay in 23 separate hotels in the Kansas City area. The week-long conference entails the competitions, TECHSPO (the nation's largest trade show in trade and industrial education), a career fair, and SkillsUSA student government sessions.
As of 2015, the NLSC will be held in Louisville, Kentucky for six years. The new location was decided by a competitive bid among 25 other cities which included Orlando
, Houston, and Atlanta. The future attendance projections along with the contract with Kansas City set to expire in 2015 prompted the relocation. Louisville also has historical significance as it served as the home of SkillsUSA (called VICA at the time) from 1982 to 1984 and from 1991 to 1993. The SkillsUSA Championships is expected to bring in $12 million to Louisville's economy.
Students from the various state associations socialize and learn from one another during the week. Each state association has collectible pins that are often traded between students from various state associations. These pins are normally worn on the official SkillsUSA blazer.
There are recreational activities scheduled during the conference week, including a SkillsUSA night at Worlds of Fun
. Other activities include the Kansas City Zoo, Oceans of Fun
and the Kansas City Speedway racetrack tour.
The week culminates in the awards presentation. At the awards ceremony, the NLSC also plays host to a keynote speaker. There have been a number of noteworthy speakers. Some of them include:
Competitions begin locally and continue through the state and national levels. Some states also have district competitions. In most contests at the national championships, SkillsUSA presents medallions to the top three winners. In other contests, more than three medals may be presented if a standard is met. State and local contests may include the official national contests, but may also include contests not offered at the national level.
The contests are organized and run through a partnership of industry, labor and education. These partners provide awards as well. More than 5,500 students – winners from their states – compete in the $35-million national event, which covers exposition space equivalent to 16 football fields.
SkillsUSA is the official U.S. representative to the WorldSkills Competition. Select winners from the SkillsUSA Championships train for one year before competing at the biennial internationals.
SkillsUSA competitions develop enthusiasm for learning and a sense of accomplishment. By recognizing students’ skills and abilities, the competitions promote professional development and appreciation of quality job skills. The events also stimulate public, and specifically student, interest in career and technical training.
Students may participate in three types of contests: Leadership, Occupationally Related, and Skilled and Technical Sciences. Demonstration contests are added to determine interest. If interest is sufficient, demonstration contests can become official competitions and are added to one of the three categories..
Career and Technical Student Organization
Career and Technical Student Organizations are vocational organizations primarily based in high schools and career technology centers. Often, on the state level, they are integrated into Departments of Education or incorporated as non-profit organizations. Many states define CTSOs as "integral...
serving more than 320,000 high school and college students and professional members enrolled in training programs in technical, skilled, and service occupations, including health occupations. Since 2010, SkillsUSA has had Thomas Kercheval create the theme song to SkillsUSA. The 3 versions of the theme-song are: Hip Hop, Instrumental, & Rock. These versions are available for digital purchase & download on iTunes for $0.99 each.
History
SkillsUSA was originally known as the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA). Prior to 1965, attempts at national skill organizations failed. There was still a demand for skill and trade organizations, however. In 1960, the American Vocational AssociationAssociation for Career and Technical Education
The Association for Career and Technical Education is the professional association of CTE educators . It is a nonprofit membership association based in the United States. Its members are primarily educators and administrators of career and technical education , which is sometimes known as...
(AVA) held a meeting, where a committee was formed to facilitate a solution. Representatives from the U.S. Office of Education and the National Association of State Supervisors of Trade and Industrial Education (NASSTIE – now known as the Association for Skilled and Technical Sciences – ASTS – http://www.astsonline.org) formed the committee. By 1962, the AVA encouraged the Office of Education to hire an employee to form the national organization. At the 1964 AVA convention, powerful leaders of industry and organizational leaders to include U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Secondary School Principals
National Association of Secondary School Principals
The is the preeminent organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world...
spoke in favor of the proposed organization.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee. Representatives for 14 states, consisting of approximately 200 students, advisors, and business and labor representatives, gathered to choose the club's name, colors, motto, purposes and goals. The official red blazer, part of the organization's uniform, was patterned after the blazer from Illinois's organization. These representatives were from existing vocational education groups which agreed to finance the effort, from the states of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Texas, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. Illinois actually provided the salary for Philip Baird to be the first executive secretary of the newly founded VICA. The National FFA Organization
National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is an American youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education...
is credited with making the first financial contribution. The American Vocational Association offered office space at no cost in its Washington headquarters. Additionally, the AVA's Trade and Industrial Division provided a grant.
Griffin, Georgia
Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 23,643.-Geography:Griffin is located at ....
was elected as VICA's first student president and Larry W. Johnson, the assistant supervisor of T&I education and state advisor for the Vocation Industrial Clubs of North Carolina, became the first executive secretary of VICA on July 1, 1965. He continued in the position until 1987.
By 1966, membership was up to 29,534, spanning 1,074 clubs across 26 states and territories. Additionally, the first issue of the club's magazine was produced. At the national conference, held in Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, Arkansas, the VICA emblem was unveiled, and the first official state charters
Charters
Charters is a surname and may refer to :* Ann Charters , American professor of English* Charlie Charters , former English rugby union official and sports marketing executive* Frank Charters, , English cricketer...
were presented.
In 1969, the Postsecondary Division of VICA was approved during a Constitutional Convention held in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, bringing total membership to 82,000. The following year, the first edition of the VICA Leadership Handbook. was published.
On VICA's ten year anniversary (1975), the organization inducted its one millionth member. Three years later, VICA saw the start of the construction of its National Leadership Center in Leesburg, Virginia
Leesburg, Virginia
Leesburg is a historic town in, and county seat of, Loudoun County, Virginia, United States of America. Leesburg is located west-northwest of Washington, D.C. along the base of the Catoctin Mountain and adjacent to the Potomac River. Its population according the 2010 Census is 42,616...
.
In 1995, the national competition, then known as the United States Skill Olympics, was renamed to the Skills USA Championships during the NLSC. In, 1999, during the NLSC, VICA was renamed to SkillsUSA-VICA; The name was shortened to SkillsUSA in 2004.
Membership
SkillsUSA has more than 310,000 student members annually, organized into more than 10,000 chapters and 54 state and territorial associations (including the District of Columbia, Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
and the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
). Membership continues to grow rapidly and with 313,180 members registered for the 2009–10 year, the organization has a new record number of members in the history of the organization.
Approximately 16,389 teachers and school administrators serve as professional SkillsUSA members and instructors.
More than 1,100 corporations, trade associations and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA on a 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.
SkillsUSA programs include local, state and national competitions. During the annual national-level SkillsUSA Championships, more than 5,400 students compete in 96 hands-on skill and leadership contests.
SkillsUSA programs also help to establish industry standards for job skill training in the classroom and is cited as a "successful model of employer-driven youth development training program" by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Curricular
The Professional Development Program (PDP) teaches 76 workplace skill competencies in a series of hands-on self-paced lessons.Student2Student Mentoring gives high school students a chance to mentor younger students.
CareerSafe is a credentialed 10-hour online training program developed in cooperation with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to provide students with basic knowledge of safety and a credential desired in the job market.
The Career Skills Education Program (CSEP) contains 49 online lessons teaching basic employment and life skills to college/postsecondary students.
The SkillsUSA Work Force Ready System is a comprehensive tool to help students document entry-level skills as defined by industry and accepted by state education policy. Developed under a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant, the Work Force Ready System will feature 47 industry-driven assessments.
National Leadership and Skills Conference
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri. Most of the competitions are held at Bartle Hall Convention Center
Bartle Hall Convention Center
Bartle Hall Convention Center is a major exposition hall in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, USA. It is named for Harold Roe Bartle, a prominent, two-term mayor of Kansas City in the 1950s and early 1960s...
, on the showroom floor. The other competitions are held at Municipal Auditorium, American Royal Center, and the Marriott
Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. is a worldwide operator and franchisor of a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Founded by J. Willard Marriott, the company is now led by son J.W. Marriott, Jr...
(including the historic Muehlebach Tower
Muehlebach Hotel
The Muehlebach Hotel is a historic hotel building in Downtown Kansas City that was visited by every President from Theodore Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan. It is currently operated as one of three wings of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown.-History:...
), Radisson
Radisson Hotels
Radisson Hotels is one of the leading, full-service global hotel companies with more than 420 locations in 73 countries. The first Radisson Hotel was built in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1909, and was named after the 17th-century French explorer Pierre-Esprit Radisson...
and Phillips hotels, located downtown. SkillsUSA members, delegates and advisors stay in 23 separate hotels in the Kansas City area. The week-long conference entails the competitions, TECHSPO (the nation's largest trade show in trade and industrial education), a career fair, and SkillsUSA student government sessions.
As of 2015, the NLSC will be held in Louisville, Kentucky for six years. The new location was decided by a competitive bid among 25 other cities which included Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Houston, and Atlanta. The future attendance projections along with the contract with Kansas City set to expire in 2015 prompted the relocation. Louisville also has historical significance as it served as the home of SkillsUSA (called VICA at the time) from 1982 to 1984 and from 1991 to 1993. The SkillsUSA Championships is expected to bring in $12 million to Louisville's economy.
Students from the various state associations socialize and learn from one another during the week. Each state association has collectible pins that are often traded between students from various state associations. These pins are normally worn on the official SkillsUSA blazer.
There are recreational activities scheduled during the conference week, including a SkillsUSA night at Worlds of Fun
Worlds of Fun
Worlds of Fun is an amusement park in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. The park opened in 1973 and was originally built by Lamar Hunt and Jack Steadman . In 1995 Hunt-Midwest sold Worlds of Fun to Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., which currently owns the park...
. Other activities include the Kansas City Zoo, Oceans of Fun
Oceans of Fun
Oceans of Fun is a tropically-themed water park that opened on May 31, 1982 in Kansas City, Missouri to celebrate Worlds of Fun's 10th year anniversary. At the time it was opened it was the largest water park in the world. It is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. Oceans of Fun is...
and the Kansas City Speedway racetrack tour.
The week culminates in the awards presentation. At the awards ceremony, the NLSC also plays host to a keynote speaker. There have been a number of noteworthy speakers. Some of them include:
- Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, 40th President of the United States - Lou HoltzLou HoltzLouis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
, former footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach, currently a college football analyst for ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. - Chuck YeagerChuck YeagerCharles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager is a retired major general in the United States Air Force and noted test pilot. He was the first pilot to travel faster than sound...
, retired Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
general, one of three persons believed to be the first to break the sound barrierSound barrierThe sound barrier, in aerodynamics, is the point at which an aircraft moves from transonic to supersonic speed. The term, which occasionally has other meanings, came into use during World War II, when a number of aircraft started to encounter the effects of compressibility, a collection of several...
. - Janet EvansJanet EvansJanet Beth Evans is a American competitive swimmer who specializes in distance freestyle. She recently announced her comeback to the sport with intentions to swim in the 2012 Olympic Trials.-Biography:...
, record-breaking American competitive swimmerSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
. - Mary Lou RettonMary Lou RettonMary Lou Retton is an American gymnast and Olympic gold medalist. She was the first female gymnast from outside Eastern Europe to win the Olympic all-around title, after 14 Eastern Bloc countries boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.-Personal life:Retton was born in Fairmont, West...
, medaling American OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gymnastGymnasticsGymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
. - Dick VitaleDick VitaleRichard J. "Dick" Vitale , also known as "Dickie V", is an American basketball sportscaster. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well-known as a college basketball broadcaster and for the enthusiastic and colorful remarks he makes during games. He is known for his...
, former collegeCollege basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
and professional basketball coach, currently and most known for sports commentatorSports commentatorIn sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
. - Terry BradshawTerry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
, former professional football quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. - Dan JansenDan JansenDaniel Erwin Jansen is a former speed skater, best known for winning a gold medal in his final Olympic race after suffering through years of heartbreak. He graduated from West Allis Central High School....
, a former speed skaterSpeed skatingSpeed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
, best known for winning a gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in his final OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
race. - James LovellJim LovellJames "Jim" Arthur Lovell, Jr., is a former NASA astronaut and a retired captain in the United States Navy, most famous as the commander of the Apollo 13 mission, which suffered a critical failure en route to the Moon but was brought back safely to Earth by the efforts of the crew and mission...
, a retired NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
captain, best known as the commander of Apollo 13Apollo 13Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the American Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 CST. The landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the service module upon which the Command...
. - Joe EngleJoseph Henry EngleJoe Henry Engle is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and a former NASA astronaut. He was married to the late Mary Catherine Lawrence of Mission Hills, Kansas and has two grown children and one stepchild. He is currently married to Jeanie Carter Engle of Houston, Texas...
, a retired Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
colonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, most notable as a distinguished NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
. - Terry BowdenTerry BowdenTerry Bowden is an American football coach at the University of North Alabama. Bowden was previously the head coach at Salem University , Samford University , and Auburn University . Bowden is the son of former Florida State University head football coach Bobby Bowden...
, a college footballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
analyst/commentatorSportscasterIn sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
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and former college football coach. - Wendy VenturiniWendy VenturiniWendy Venturini is a reporter for Speed's pre-race show, NASCAR RaceDay. Along with her pre race interviews around the garage, Wendy is also featured in a segment of the show called "The Real Deal" where she goes one on one with a driver, crew chief or car owner. She is also a pit reporter for...
, a reporter for SPEED's pre-race show, NASCAR RaceDayNASCAR RaceDayNASCAR RaceDay is a pre-race show on Speed Channel. Hosted by John M. Roberts, the show features driver–analysts Kenny Wallace and Kyle Petty, as well as pit reporter Wendy Venturini, who provide news from the track right before each weekend's race. Hermie Sadler came on board in 2008...
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. - Mike HolmesMike HolmesMichael James Holmes is a Canadian professional contractor. He is the host of television show Holmes on Homes, where he rescues homeowners from renovations gone wrong; and its successor TV series, Holmes Inspection...
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, which airs on HGTV in the United States, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Germany.
Contests
SkillsUSA offers competitive activities in which students strive to achieve in a variety of occupational skill and leadership areas. Competition in skill and personal achievement is encouraged at all levels. Leadership contests include public speaking, parliamentary procedure, safety, Opening and Closing ceremonies, and job interviewing. Occupational skill contests include the building trades, health occupations, automotive technology, the electrical/electronics industry and personal services. Among many others, there are competitions for outstanding SkillsUSA chapter, community service, entrepreneurship and customer service.Competitions begin locally and continue through the state and national levels. Some states also have district competitions. In most contests at the national championships, SkillsUSA presents medallions to the top three winners. In other contests, more than three medals may be presented if a standard is met. State and local contests may include the official national contests, but may also include contests not offered at the national level.
The contests are organized and run through a partnership of industry, labor and education. These partners provide awards as well. More than 5,500 students – winners from their states – compete in the $35-million national event, which covers exposition space equivalent to 16 football fields.
SkillsUSA is the official U.S. representative to the WorldSkills Competition. Select winners from the SkillsUSA Championships train for one year before competing at the biennial internationals.
SkillsUSA competitions develop enthusiasm for learning and a sense of accomplishment. By recognizing students’ skills and abilities, the competitions promote professional development and appreciation of quality job skills. The events also stimulate public, and specifically student, interest in career and technical training.
Students may participate in three types of contests: Leadership, Occupationally Related, and Skilled and Technical Sciences. Demonstration contests are added to determine interest. If interest is sufficient, demonstration contests can become official competitions and are added to one of the three categories..
Leadership
- Action Skills
- American Spirit
- Chapter Business Procedure
- Chapter Display
- Community Service
- Employment Application Process
- Extemporaneous Speaking
- Job Interview
- Job Skill Demonstration A
- Job Skill Demonstration Open
- Occupational Health and Safety (Single)
- Occupational Health and Safety (Multiple)
- Opening and Closing Ceremonies
- Outstanding Chapter
- Pin Design (State Conference)
- Prepared Speech
- Promotional Bulletin Board
- Quiz Bowl
Occupationally related
- Customer Service
- Engineering Technology
- Entrepreneurship
- First Aid/CPR
- Health Knowledge Bowl
- Health Occupations Professional Portfolio
- Medical Math
- Medical Terminology
- Principles of Technology
- Related Technical Math
- Tech Prep: Natural Resources/Agriculture/Food
- Tech Prep: Business Management and Technology
- Tech Prep: Arts and Communication
- Tech Prep: Health Services
- Tech Prep: Human Services
- Tech Prep: Industrial and Engineering Technology
Skilled and technical sciences
- 3-D Visualization and Animation
- Advertising Design
- Architectural Drafting
- Audio/Radio Production
- Automated Manufacturing Technology
- Automotive Refinishing Technology
- Automotive Service Technology
- Aviation Maintenance Technology
- Basic Health Care Skills (HS only)
- Broadcast News Production
- Building Maintenance
- Cabinetmaking
- Carpentry
- CNC Milling Technology
- CNC Turning Technology
- Collision Repair Technology
- Commercial Baking
- Computer Maintenance Technology
- Computer Programming
- Cosmetology
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Criminal Justice
- Culinary Arts
- Dental Assisting
- Diesel Equipment Technology
- Electronics Technology
- Esthetics
- Firefighting
- Food and Beverage Service
- Graphic Communications
- Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
- Industrial Motor Control
- Internetworking
- Major Appliance Technology
- Marine Service Technology
- Masonry
- Mechatronics
- Medical Assisting
- Motorcycle Service Technology
- Nail Care
- Nurse Assisting
- Photography
- Plumbing
- Power Equipment Technology
- Practical Nursing
- Precision Machining Technology
- Preschool Teaching Assistant
- Residential Wiring
- Robotics and Automation Technology
- Sheet Metal
- Screen Printing Technology
- TeamWorks
- Technical Computer Applications
- Technical Drafting
- Telecommunications Cabling
- Television (Video) Production
- Video Product Development
- Web Design
- Welding
- Welding Fabrication
Demonstration Contests
- Mobile Electronics Installation
- Mobile Robotic Technology
- Sustainability Solutions
- T-shirt Design
- Welding Art Sculpture
External links
- Official SkillsUSA website
- SkillsUSA's Work Force Ready System website
- Official SkillsUSA Alabama website
- Official SkillsUSA Arizona website
- SkillsUSA Arkansas website
- SkillsUSA California website
- SkillsUSA Colorado website
- SkillsUSA Connecticut website
- SkillsUSA Delaware website
- SkillsUSA Florida website
- Official SkillsUSA Georgia website
- SkillsUSA Hawaii website
- SkillsUSA Idaho website
- Official SkillsUSA Illinois website
- SkillsUSA Indiana website
- SkillsUSA Iowa website
- SkillsUSA Kansas website
- SkillsUSA Kentucky website
- SkillsUSA Louisiana website
- SkillsUSA Maine website
- SkillsUSA Maryland website
- Official SkillsUSA Massachusetts website
- Official SkillsUSA Michigan website
- SkillsUSA Minnesota website
- SkillsUSA Mississippi website
- SkillsUSA Missouri website
- SkillsUSA Montana website
- SkillsUSA Nebraska website
- SkillsUSA Nevada website
- SkillsUSA New Hampshire website
- SkillsUSA New Jersey website
- SkillsUSA New Mexico website
- Official SkillsUSA New York website
- www.skillsusanc.org North Carolina website
- SkillsUSA Oregon website
- SkillsUSA Pennsylvania website
- Official SkillsUSA Rhode Island website
- SkillsUSA South Carolina website
- SkillsUSA South Dakota website
- SkillsUSA Tennessee website
- Official SkillsUSA Texas website
- SkillsUSA Utah website
- Official SkillsUSA Vermont website
- SkillsUSA Virginia website
- SkillsUSA Washington website
- SkillsUSA West Virginia website
- Official SkillsUSA Wisconsin website
- SkillsUSA Wyoming website