Benefits of SkillsUSA on Campus
A quick overview of
Features & Benefits
SKILLSUSA College & Technical Programs

“Why Should We Have SkillsUSA?”
•	The most common questions:
•	Why should we have SkillsUSA on this campus?
•	Who’ll benefit?
•	How?
•	The most important answer:
•	students, faculty, administration
•	business
•	the community
All benefit from a Skills Chapter
•	Here’s How. . .

Common Needs and Objectives
•	Students, Faculty and Industry all share some common needs:
•	Students are looking to either begin or to change their careers;
•	Instructors are looking for ways to improve their instructional programs to help students to be more successful;
•	Employers are looking for qualified employees.

The Secret’s In The Structure. . .
•	A Skills chapter on campus establishes a structure which benefits all of the partners:
•	All partners are involved;
•	All partners can meet their needs; and,
•	It’s highly adaptable.
•	The chapter is the means of transportation.  It’s how we get “to where we want to be today.”

The Secret’s In The Substance
•	National Skills and Louisiana SkillsUSA state associations:
•	develop and carry out activities; 
•	deliver instructional materials; 
•	offer opportunities for networking; and,
•	information services which focus on the needs of our members.

The Secret’s In The Substance 
•	Campus chapters use these activities at the local level to meet their own objectives.

Mission Statement
•	Skills’s Mission Statement:
•	. . .to help its student members become world-class workers and responsible American citizens.

A Working Vision Statement for Postsecondary/College
“. . .an association of postsecondary/college students and faculty dedicated to developing student excellence in personal and professional leadership, teamwork, communications, goal-setting and supervisory skills.”

What Are The Features?
•	First, the SkillsUSA chapter itself
•	Students (and faculty) form an officially recognized student organization on campus 
•	work together as a team 
•	work with elected officers and committees 
•	deliver  a “program of work”
•	actively involve employers 

What Are The Features?
•	Second, there is no “one size fits all” structure for SkillsUSA on campus
•	It can be program specific 
•	It can involve many occupations
•	It can be part of a course for credit
•	It can be a professional society
•	It can be related to a professional society
•	It can be campus-wide in structure and impact

The Program of Work
•	Students determine activities they would like to carry out.  
	Categories include:
•	Competitions (SkillsUSA Championships)
•	Professional development
•	Community service
•	Social
•	Fund raising

Additional Features
•	Networking (Business, education, personal)
•	Communications and information
•	On-campus activities and seminars
•	State, regional, and national conferences
•	Connection to standards projects & professional societies
•	Curriculum
•	Visibility

Student Benefits
•	Networking
•	Employer, business, community, education and personal contacts
•	Development of employability skills
•	Hands-on & leadership skill experience
•	Distinction and challenge (competitions)
•	Recognition (officers, team members, leadership awards)

Benefits To Faculty & Institutions
•	Student recruitment and retention
•	Adaptable structure to teach essential employability skills
•	Community recognition and support
•	Focus and an avenue for business support, involvement and sponsorship
•	Opportunities for college credit

Benefits To Industry & Employers
•	Direct access to better-qualified employees
•	Recruitment of students into their occupational areas
•	Dialogue with education to support and add relevance to the system
•	Build image of occupation with potential workers and community
•	Visibility of their own businesses

Everyone Wins
•	Each of the partners in SkillsUSA has needs related to the needs of other partners
•	Those needs are ongoing and unending because they’re part of the process of education, training, and employment
•	A SkillsUSA chapter provides the structure and substance to continually and successfully meet those needs.

Thanks
•	Thanks for listening and for your interest in SkillsUSA. 
•	National SkillsUSA is dedicated to the needs and success of our members.
•	When we talk to our alumni and sponsors, they tell us to keep it up: “It’s working.”
•	For further information: 225-219-0289 or http://SkillsUSA.org  or http:/Laskillsusa.org or e-mail Lrabalais@Theltc.net

From Bossier Community College presentation, a different approach

What We Used to Hear. . .
•	“SkillsUSA’s a nice high school program”
•	“It doesn’t fit on the college campus.”
•	“I don’t see where it fits in my program.”
•	“My students won’t be interested.”
•	“Administration won’t support it.”
•	“I haven’t got the time for it.”
•	“(I just don’t wanna do it.)”

What We’re Hearing Now. . .
•	“My students need customer-relations skills.”
•	“My students need essential employability skills.”
•	“My students are interested in SkillsUSA activities and contests.”
•	“The administration supports SkillsUSA.”
•	“Show me how to do it.”

From Automotive Programs. . .
Among all programs this past year automotive programs have shown the greatest interest in SkillsUSA (although others certainly do too)
•	Contests are certainly a factor but, 
•	Interest is also high in professional development on campus

Concerns of Automotive Programs
Concerns of All Programs
4	Student recruitment
4	Administration support
4	Teaching customer-relations/ customer-satisfaction skills
4	Employability/job-seeking skills
4	Time and money available