Skills USA Champions at Work 1 Skills USA

Skills. USA Champions at Work 1

Skills. USA • Preparing students for career opportunities through CTSO involvement • The Challenge • The Facts • The Solution

Framework – What is Skills. USA? • Founded in 1965 • Skills. USA is a not-for-profit national association • More than 300, 000 member students and educators partnering with business and industry to ensure that America has a wellprepared skilled workforce.

Skills. USA’s Vision • Skills. USA is recognized as the organization that empowers students to become global leaders of America’s skilled workforce, ready for continuous career success. • Our partner network benefits all members as well as educators and industry. • Every eligible student is involved and every life we touch is improved.

Challenge Facing America • Technicians and skilled trade workers are two of the top three jobs employers are having trouble filling globally. (Manpower Group, Talent Shortage Survey Results, 2011) • Middle-skill jobs (those jobs that generally require some significant education and training beyond high school but less than a bachelor’s degree) will account for about 45 percent of all job openings projected through 2014. (BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010 -2011 Edition)

Facts • One quarter of America’s workforce – that’s 31 million people – are employed in one of the 130 occupational titles served by Skills. USA. [Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) figures. Total workforce is 124 million] • Students in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs have a higher-than-average high school graduation rate. The average high school graduation rate for students concentrating in CTE programs is 90% compared to an average national freshman graduation rate of 74. 9%. [U. S. Department of Education. “Concentrator = three or more classes”]

Facts In the 2011 -12 academic year, Skills. USA’s membership was composed of • 255, 331 high school students • 12, 736 professionals (educators) from the High School Division • 34, 995 College/Postsecondary students • 2, 903 professionals (educators) from the C/PS Division • 27, 641 registered Alumni • 287, 443 total students • 15, 639 total professionals • 330, 703 TOTAL MEMBERS (including registered Alumni)

Facts Student Demographics 2011 -12 Gender • 57% male • 43% female Ethnicity • 64% White • 18% Hispanic/Latino • 14% Black • 1% American Indian • 1% Asian • 2% Other Division 89% Secondary 11% Postsecondary Skills. USA has at least a thousand member students in 14 of the 16 Career Clusters defined by the State Directors of Career and Technical Education, including • 62, 000 in Construction trades curricula • 24, 000 in Communications Technology • 22, 000 in Health sciences • 16, 000 in Hospitality & tourism • 27. 000 in Human services • 13, 000 in Information Technology • 13, 000 in Public safety • 14, 000 in Manufacturing • 11, 000 in STEM • 49, 000 in Transportation technologies

The Solution – Skills. USA Mission Skills. USA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. 9

Why Skills. USA? 10

What does research say? In a November 2012 survey of Skills. USA advisors, • 77% believed that involvement with Skills. USA made them a better teacher. • 74% believed that engagement with Skills. USA had a positive effect on the academic performance of most of their students. • 88% believed that their program advisory committees had influenced their classroom/lab curriculum.

WHAT MAKES A Skills. USA STUDENT UNIQUE? Extremely Valuable Employees Who: • Rely on intelligence, imagination and skills • Identify and solve complex problems that are not well defined • Stay in school – impacting future retention • Use creativity to reach practical outcomes • Are crucial to the profitability and success of the organization 12

THE Skills. USA EXPERIENCE National Research Shows Career and Technical Education has a direct impact on a number of important psychosocial and behavioral characteristics of youth: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Belief in their abilities Engagement Attendance Aspirations Achievement Transition to post secondary education Training and employability 13

Integration of Skills. USA Into Pathways • Integrate Skills. USA activities into ongoing classroom activities and lessons. • Integrate Skills. USA employability activities using the Professional Development Program. • Prepare students for competition in the Skills. USA Championships through study and practice. 14

Three Levels to Creating Success Technical Skills Work-based Skills Personal Skills 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 workhigh ethical standards, superior work skills, life-long education, pride in the dignity of work and promotes involvement in community service.

Skills. USA benefits students by: • Teaching teamwork and leadership • Reinforcing employability skills • Nationally recognized contest program • Providing ways to serve the local community • Offering over 1 million in scholarships • Helping students meet potential employees 16

Skills. USA benefits teachers by: • Enhancing the technical curriculum • Helping improve class attitudes • Giving students a way to test their skills • Providing avenues for local industry support • Helping to showcase CTE pathways • Gaining greater administrative support • Providing opportunities to network 17

Skills. USA benefits schools by: • Showcase the school to the community • Helping teachers meet educational standards • Improving the quality for CTE pathways • Providing opportunities for recognition • Helping to produce more qualified graduates • Assisting with recruitment and enrollments 18

Membership More than 330, 000 students and instructors join Skills. USA annually. Skills. USA has served more than 10. 6 million students since 1965. Membership runs from Sept. 1 st - August 31 st

Use Your Resources to Get Started • Skills. USA web site provides tools and resources to establish a chapter and engage students members • http: //www. skillsusa-register. org • Free on-line training modules • http: //www. skillsusa. org/educators /change 2. shtml 20

Getting Started: • Meet with School Administrator and request permission to start a chapter • Request Membership Kit from state or national office • Identify other teachers to help lead the chapter • Gain support and involve students from other programs • Involve Industry Advisory Committees 21

Membership Recruitment 22

Students Take Ownership 23

Program of Work • An active Chapter builds membership and allows students to grow! • Students lead – Advisor facilitates 24

7 Major Goals of Program of Work • • Professional Development Community Service Employment Ways and Means Skills. USA Championships Public Relations Social Activities 25

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