Louisiana Fall Leadership Information
The packet for the Fall Leadership Conference of this year is now accessible. Mark your calendars for November 11 and 12 at the prestigious University of Louisiana Lafayette in the Student Union. The esteemed DoubleTree Hotel on W Pinhook will be our hosting venue. Take a look at the packet for comprehensive details on registration and booking. Stay tuned for updates on the Pin, T-shirt, and Banner contest information.
Join by Nov. 15 for Full Member Benefits
As a special membership incentive, instructors who register at least 15 student members in one technical program plus one or more professionals by Nov. 15 will receive a free SkillsUSA resource. When you join an additional 25 members over and above what you registered last year by Nov. 15, your chapter will receive a SkillsUSA Framework podium banner. If you register 50 or more members than you had last year by Nov. 15, your chapter will receive two SkillsUSA Framework podium banners.
Professional members also receive numerous benefits including the SkillsUSA Framework Integration Toolkit, Program of Work Toolkit, SkillsUSA Championships Technical Standards, E-Courses and opportunities for professional development. National membership dues for professional members are $20 plus state dues, which vary. Be sure to sign up with an email address you regularly check! State dues and deadlines can be found here.
If you need assistance locating membership information on the SkillsUSA website, our crosswalk document will help you easily locate what you need!
Celebrate National Apprenticeship Week: Nov. 17-23
We encourage you to join us in recognizing National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), a national celebration established by the U.S. Department of Labor. This week brings together business leaders, career seekers, labor representatives, apprentices and educational institutions to highlight the vital role apprenticeship programs play in bridging the skills gap and preparing the American workforce of the future. Your chapter can get involved by hosting a high school career fair, an industry roundtable or an apprenticeship graduation or by submitting proclamations at the state or local level to show support for NAW and apprenticeships. SkillsUSA will be providing resources for chapters, including planning guides for events, promotional materials, social media strategies, fact sheets, chapter ideas, success stories, proclamation templates, and ways to share your events. Watch the website and newsletters for details. Together, we can inspire and educate our communities about the importance of workforce development! For questions, contact Amanda Crawley. Learn more about NAW.
Become a Skills JAM JAMBassador!
Skills Jam is looking for additional JAMBassadors! The program empowers skilled trades enthusiasts to inspire the next generation of creators, fixers, builders and makers through their own content creation, social amplification and advocacy by working with the Skilled Careers Coalition. JAMBassadors receive fun training, unique paid opportunities and some cool limited-edition merchandise!
Skills Jam Season 2 is launching soon so check out this sneak peek of content that will be released over the next few months: Skills Jam Preview.
Near the end of the video, watch for and scan the QR code to see the Skills Jam Linktree and an invitation to fill out the JAMBassador Interest Form. You can also watch the first season of Skills Jam or keep up with other Skills Jam news.
Help for Chapters Affected by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton
Hurricane Helene was one of the deadliest hurricanes in the United States since the emergence of modern weather forecasting, bringing devastation across seven states from Thursday, Sept. 26 to Friday, Sept. 27.
SkillsUSA has been in touch with our state directors in affected states and wants to share word to the SkillsUSA nation that if you can help and are able to help, you are encouraged to find a way to contribute to recovery for these communities. “First and foremost, we want our SkillsUSA schools and members in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia who were affected by Hurricane Helene to know that we have you in our hearts and minds as you begin to regroup and recover from this devastating natural disaster,” said Executive Director Chelle Travis. “Your fellow members are here to support you if we can. We encourage local chapters who want to help those impacted to please contact and work with the many verified local, state and national organizations that are lending support to affected communities. We know recovery won’t be fast or easy.
We hope our teachers and students in the affected areas are safe, that you will receive the resources you need to regroup, rebuild and move forward. Most of all, we want you to know you have a national network of care and support from your SkillsUSA community.
For those who wish to contribute specifically to SkillsUSA to support affected chapters at schools in these states, we are accepting donations to the SkillsUSA Hope Fund. Please note on your donation that it is for Hurricane SkillsUSA chapter relief.
If your school was affected by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton and you have SkillsUSA-related needs such as lost chapter materials or supplies, we invite you to request support using the SkillsUSA Hope Fund application.
Whether you are helping others or need assistance, see this list of national agencies providing Hurricane Relief from Charity Navigator or google to find agencies and organizations that are serving your state.
One-on-One Coaching on the Chapter Excellence Program
Is your chapter ready to take your Chapter Excellence Program (CEP) application to the next level, or do you need help getting started with your Program of Work (PoW)? Learn how to integrate the SkillsUSA Framework, articulate your SMART goals and select and evaluate Essential Elements within your CEP application. SkillsUSA offers personalized, one-on-one coaching sessions with Kelli Engelbrecht. Schedule your 30-minute Zoom coaching appointment here. For questions, contact Kelli Engelbrecht.
SkillsUSA Recruitment Week Resources Available
SkillsUSA Recruitment Week resources are available to enhance your Recruitment Week events, support your chapter officers and provide valuable tools for engaging students throughout the week. The new materials include officer and advisor resources and guides, marketing materials, recruitment practice materials and more! We encourage you to host a Recruitment Week in October or November before the Nov. 15 membership incentive deadline, so your chapter can receive a free resource. For questions, contact Madison Kraemer.
CHARGE Chapter Officer Video Series
SkillsUSA makes it easier than ever to create a strong chapter officer team. CHARGE is a weekly video series covering topics that will help your officers in the day-to-day management of their chapter. Each CHARGE video has a companion activity guide to support student growth and development. There are 12 three-minute episodes, and this week, the focus is on Episodes 9 and 10.
· Episode 9 covers the importance of identifying your team mission and values. As a member of a team, it is essential to make sure your values align with the team, and the mission you are trying to accomplish. In this video, explore four steps to help identify your chapter officer team values.
· Episode 10 explains the value of having a team code of conduct. Learn all about how your team can best create and follow your own personalized code of conduct. Having an outline to guide your chapter officers through the year is a key aspect in determining your success!
SkillsUSA Technical Thursdays in October
Join us for Technical Thursdays, SkillsUSA workshops led by industry experts helping teachers develop specific technical skills relevant to their career fields of interest. Leave these free virtual sessions with new skills to implement in your classroom. On Oct. 17, from 4-5 p.m. ET, Social Media Specialist Brooke Gatchell from the SkillsUSA staff will provide practical tips and tricks to enhance your chapter’s programming through effective social media utilization. Elevate your digital presence, enhance promotion and boost participation, ensuring your message resonates. Participants will earn a Professional Development (PD) certificate upon completion. Learn more and register for the workshops (space is limited). For questions, contact Karolina Belen.
Apply for SkillsUSA Aerotek “Make Your Mark” Scholarships
SkillsUSA members nationwide in select trade areas are encouraged to apply for the SkillsUSA Aerotek “Make Your Mark” scholarship. The scholarship is for SkillsUSA members with direct educational costs for the spring 2025 term at a community college, technical college, certificate program or apprenticeship program. Applications are being accepted until Nov. 4. Scholarship winners will receive up to $5,000 toward tuition, books, tools, on-campus housing or other approved direct educational expenses. Applicants must be enrolled in continuing education or career training in one of these pathways: Construction; Manufacturing; Transportation, Distribution & Logistics; Telecommunications Cabling Training; and Electronics Technology or Industrial Engineering Technology. For more information, review all eligibility criteria and the flyer. For more information, contact scholarship manager Hannah Scheffer.
Apply Now for ACTE Teacher and Lifetime Achievement Awards
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), in partnership with SkillsUSA, is seeking nominations for the National Trade and Industrial Education Division Awards to be presented during the ACTE CareerTech VISION conference, Dec. 4-7 in San Antonio, Texas. The deadline for nominations is Nov. 1. Qualified individuals may be nominated for Teacher of the Year, New Teacher of the Year or Lifetime Achievement. You are welcome to nominate yourself. (If you nominate someone, be sure to notify the nominee.) Nominations must be submitted online. For additional conference information, please visit ACTE CareerTech VISION. (Please note the Trade and Industrial VISION Awards are separate from the ACTE Excellence Awards.)
Louisiana Calendar for the 2024 2025 School Year
You can access this years current calendar on our website for the most current and up to date information and you can also get a printable version under the Advisor Resources tab
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