Skills USA » About SkillsUSA

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. We help each student excel. A nonprofit national education association, SkillsUSA serves middle-school, high-school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service (including health) occupations. 

Mission Statement: SkillsUSA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. We improve the quality of our nation’s future skilled workforce through the development of SkillsUSA Framework skills that include personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. Our vision is to produce the most highly skilled workforce in the world, providing every member the opportunity for career success.

SkillsUSA serves more than 372,655 students and instructors annually. This includes 20,598 instructors who join as professional members. Including alumni, SkillsUSA membership totals over 434,000. SkillsUSA has served 13.6 million annual members cumulatively since 1965 and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor as a successful model of employer-driven workforce development.

Why would students want to join SkillsUSA?
 
Students can:
- Develop SkillsUSA Framework skills.
- Build confidence.
- Enhance their résumé.
- Explore career paths.
- Obtain scholarships and work opportunities.
- Network with peers, teachers, mentors and industry representatives.
- Achieve a sense of accomplishment and belonging.
- Develop teamwork experience.
- Practice hands-on application of skills.
- Participate in local, state or national competitions.
- Have fun!
Why would parents want their child involved in SkillsUSA?
 
Their child can:
- Participate in meaningful career exploration.
- Be part of a high-quality peer group.
- Take advantage of internship, mentorship and employment opportunities.
- Learn useful skills to be self-sufficient and self-supporting.
- Discover opportunities for scholarships, grants or prizes.
- Avoid unnecessary student loan debt.
- Become a more highly engaged student and citizen.
- Make education and career choices that are validated by industry.
- Develop career readiness skills like effective communication, teamwork and problem solving.