SkillsUSA Friday Flash

Feb. 18, 2022

 

 

Share Your SkillsUSA Week Stories and Pictures!

Last week, Feb. 7-11, chapters across the country engaged in experiences that honored their community supporters, connected with local business and industry professionals and shared SkillsUSA with their administrators. See how the SkillsUSA national officers spent the week!

 

There is still time to share your SkillsUSA Week stories, photos or links with the SkillsUSA headquarters, and we just may feature your chapter on the SkillsUSA Champions digital hub or on our social media.

 

The SkillsUSA Advocacy Site has two templates for you to use to promote your activities from SkillsUSA Week and during Career and Technical Education Month. One is for your U.S. senators and representatives and your local government officials, and the other is for your local media. The letter templates are editable, so personalize your message with details about your chapter and activities.

 

Share Your Unique Knowledge and Skills During SkillsUSA University

SkillsUSA is seeking presenters for the 2022 SkillsUSA University. Are you an expert in your career cluster? Do you have a skill you would like to share with teachers and students attending the 2022 National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta? Sessions will take place on June 21, 22 and 23. Submit the request for presentation proposal here by Feb. 27. For questions, contact Karolina Belen.

 

National Membership Deadline is March 1

The national SkillsUSA membership deadline is March 1. Student members must meet both state and national deadlines to be eligible to participate in national competitions; serve as voting delegates; run for national office; participate in national programming; or apply for scholarships, awards and honors. As a benefit, professional members receive online access to a host of powerful resources. Learn how to access your professional membership benefits in this Google doc. If you need assistance, call the SkillsUSA Customer Care Team toll free at 844-875-4557. Phones are open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. ET Tuesday and Thursday. You can also email the team at customercare@skillsusa.org.

 

Hats Off to The SkillsUSA Store

Check out the newest hats from The SkillsUSA Store Comfort Collection. These hats are a great way to represent SkillsUSA with your own unique style. The caps feature an unstructured crown, curved visor, and accents, such as vintage stamped patches, scripted embroidery and an open-back snap closure. These are designed and tailored with a classic fit and are the perfect addition to any outfit.

 

SkillsUSA Educational Resources are Available to Meet Your Needs

For educational resources that will spark an interest and engage your chapter members, check out SkillsUSA’s online educational resource store. Here are just a few highlights of what’s offered.

 

• Framework Resources: Ignite ($9.95) equips you with 68 bellringers or startup tasks to engage students with career-readiness topics that tie directly to the SkillsUSA Framework. Consider posting a bellringer before starting each class and discuss the relationship of the task content to school, SkillsUSA and the workplace.

• Leadership and Personal Growth: Leveraging Your Leadership ($4.95) Now updated to include a more specific focus on workplace communication, including writing a résumé and interviewing for a job.

• SkillsUSA Championships: Job Skill Demonstration Coaching Guide ($14.95) This new coaching guide is available for the Job Skill Demonstration contest. A coaching guide is also available for Prepared Speech and the Career Pathways Showcase contests, and more will be available soon.

 

In addition to the educational resources, you can also find SkillsUSA Creed posters, Career Essentials lapel pins, the “Champions Medallions” poster, “Why SkillsUSA” student and teacher brochures, Framework Thank-You cards and more.

 

Edible Art and Hydraulic Systems Expertise on “SkillsUSA Technical Fridays”

Join us for “SkillsUSA Technical Fridays,” SkillsUSA’s industry-led workshops that help teachers develop specific technical skills relevant to their career fields. Professional development certificates are available for attending. The cost to attend a session is $10. Register here.

 

On Feb. 25, from 4-5 p.m. ET, the presenters are Anthony Styczynski and Jason Kinzey, service development managers and professional trainers from John Deere Company. They manage college partnerships with the 20 John Deere Tech programs across the United States and Canada. Their session will focus on the operation of hydraulic components, hydraulic systems, understanding basic hydraulic schematics, safety procedures, lab activities and more.

 

Love and Logic Session: Setting Limits in Your Classroom

Join us on March 1 from 3:30-5 p.m. ET for a “Love and Logic” session designed to help you learn how to use enforceable statements to set limits in your classroom. The cost to attend the session is $10. Register here. For questions, contact Karolina Belen. 

 

Focus Students on Safety

CareerSafe’s annual National Youth Safety Video Contest challenges students to create a two-minute video demonstrating workplace safety. Send submissions to CareerSafe by March 1. The winning students will receive a SkillsUSA prize pack and a scholarship of up to $2,500, and the winning school will receive a prize of up to $5,000. For more information and to submit your entry, visit the CareerSafe website.

 

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities

Please join your fellow advisors for our upcoming SkillsUSA Professional Development sessions. Upcoming topics include previewing the Chapter Officer Election Guide and a Career Essentials Booster Session. See the training calendar here. Completion certificates are provided for each session. Use this Google Doc to learn how to access your professional membership benefits online. A PDF of the 2021-22 Professional Development Opportunities is available here. For questions, contact Karolina Belen. 

 

Connect to My Future Conference Registration Opens Soon

Save the date for this year’s virtual SkillsUSA Connect to My Future Conference to be held May 3-4. The conference is designed to allow students to explore career pathways and connect directly with employers. Three distinct student program tracks will be offered for members in middle school, high school, and college/postsecondary programs. Check out all three tracks here. Registration opens March 21. Share this video with your classes to get them excited. 

 

Take Up the Challenge! National Conference Pin and T-shirt Design

SkillsUSA is once again offering the 2022 National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) Pin and T-shirt Design Challenge for all dues-paying student members. The winning designs will become the official T-shirt and pin design for NLSC. Entries must be received by March 15 at 12 a.m. ET, and the winners will be announced on March 21. Rules and submission links can be found on the SkillsUSA website.

 

SkillsUSA Scholarships Now Open for Applications

Several scholarships are now open to benefit SkillsUSA students in pursuit of higher education or certification in their chosen fields. Help spread the word about these opportunities:

 

The new Fieldpiece #MasteroftheTrade Scholarship is open to SkillsUSA members enrolled in HVACR or general construction programs who plan to study HVACR at the college/postsecondary level in the 2022-23 or 2023-24 school year. The deadline for applications is March 1. 

• The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) will award four $1,000 scholarships to SkillsUSA members who are also members of NTHS. The deadline for applications is March 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

• The Sharon Melton Myers Memorial Fund offers two high school seniors who are members of SkillsUSA a one-time $1,000 scholarship. The deadline for applications is April 15 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

• Fine Homebuilding will be awarding scholarships to SkillsUSA high school or college/postsecondary students continuing their education or certification programs in construction-related fields through the #KeepCraftAlive Scholarship program. The deadline for applications is May 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

• The Student Research Foundation, in partnership with SkillsUSA offers a scholarship to a SkillsUSA member who is currently enrolled in high school and plans to continue their education in a postsecondary program. It recognizes outstanding community contribution. The deadline for applications is July 26.

 

Applications and more scholarship information are available here.

 

Plan Now for SkillsUSA National Signing Day on May 5

On Thursday, May 5, SkillsUSA National Signing Day will celebrate high school seniors and college/postsecondary students who have chosen to pursue careers as professionals in the skilled trades. Local SkillsUSA chapters are encouraged to host a signing day event by inviting business partners, school administrators, teachers, elected officials, SkillsUSA alumni, family and friends to honor students signing “letters of intent” for a job offer, apprenticeship or advanced technical training.

 

This electronic toolkit of resources was designed to help advisors plan their local chapter event. The toolkit includes an event logo, an event invitation template, social media posts, a sample press release, thank-you notes, an event planning checklist and more. Registration for SkillsUSA National Signing Day opens March 21.