SkillsUSA National Updates

March 17-21, 2025

Friday Flash

Register for SkillsUSA National Signing Day  

SkillsUSA National Signing Day registration is open so register your members now. On Signing Day (on May 6 or another date of your chapter’s choosing), students can be recognized for signing letters of intent to pursue a career or further education in the skilled trades. Download our Signing Day toolkit and learn more about SkillsUSA Signing Day. Register by the early bird registration deadline of March 31 to be eligible to receive free incentives, such as T-shirts, baseball caps, supply bundles and starter kits (while supplies last). The final deadline to register is April 30.

Check out the latest inspiring SkillsUSA Champions spotlight story about Taelyn Nilson, a ninth grade student at Summerland Public School in Nebraska. Taelyn saved the life of an infant by performing CPR skills learned in her SkillsUSA chapter. She retained the skills learned for more than a year before she was called upon to use them in an emergency.

Female Fixers Highlighted on SKILLS JAM

New content has dropped on the SKILLS JAM You Tube Channel! Watch the latest episode on their ongoing by-youth, for-youth programming to meet several intriguing SkillsUSA Female Fixers: Paige Knowles from Allentown, Pa., a recent HVAC community college graduate who is also a business owner, skilled trades advocate, social media influencer, speaker and author, speaks about how she got into the skilled trades. Joining her are Construction Technologies student Kate Huges from Payson High School in Arizona who also serves as the SkillsUSA Region 5 high school vice president and Keara Burns, the 2024 national high school gold medalist in Residential and Commercial Appliance Technology, who graduated from Aberdeen High School in Washington where she was the only female student for two years. Keara plans to study engineering in college.

The students share their career goals and discuss why only 10% of construction workers are female despite the fact there is a skilled worker shortage and so much opportunity in the field. Watch the episode.

Take a Listen: SkillsUSA Featured on Podcasts

Host Andrew Brown of The Lost Art of the Skilled Trades Podcast welcomes Brooke Gatchell from SkillsUSA to discuss the impact of the SkillsUSA welding competition and other trade competitions on students and professionals. They explore how skilled trades careers are evolving, the importance of trade school opportunities, and how organizations like SkillsUSA contribute to workforce development programs. They also discuss the National Leadership & Skills Conference, where the best in the trades industry showcase their craftsmanship and compete for top honors. Listen to the episode.

In a special edition of The ConTechCrew Podcast, hosts Jeff Sample and Jacob D’Albora are joined by Katelyn Sanchez to discuss the latest advancements in construction technology, workforce development and AI-driven facility management. They discuss SkillsUSA’s expanding role in preparing the next generation of tradespeople, the growing demand for facility management professionals, and how adaptability is key in an evolving industry through the Facilithon-Leadership in Facility Management competition to introduce facility management to high school students. Listen to the episode.

Advisor PD Opportunity in March

We encourage all advisors to attend SkillsUSA’s last virtual professional development training for this school year. On Tuesday, March 25, we will present best practices for creating student-led chapters. Register and spend an hour with our SkillsUSA professional development team! Participants will earn a Professional Development (PD) certificate. For questions, contact Karolina Belen.

SkillsUSA Technical Thursdays in March

Join us for Technical Thursdays, SkillsUSA workshops led by industry experts who help 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 March 27, from 4-5 p.m. ET, a representative from our industry partner Intelitek, will take a deep dive into how industrial robotics is shaping the future workforce. Learn how to engage students with hands-on robotics training, from basics to real-world applications. This session covers key industry uses, teaching strategies, and how to implement robotic credentials in your curriculum, using the Robotics and Automation Technology (RAT) curriculum and Intelitek modules. Participants will earn a Professional (PD) certificate upon completion. Learn more and register for the workshops (space is limited). For questions, contact Karolina Belen.

Apply for Presidential Honors by March 31

At the 2025 National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC), SkillsUSA will recognize advisors, students and registered alumni for their community service through the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA). To qualify, SkillsUSA members must submit a record of their service hours. With SkillsUSA’s focus on community service, you may have already met the requirements. For details on how to apply, visit the website. Applications are due by March 31 for recognition at the 2025 NLSC.

Press Release Template for State Conference Participants

We encourage you to promote your state conference activities to your local media. Here is an editable press release template to share on the Advocacy Site for state conference participants and their advisors to share competition results with your hometown media. Parents, instructors, students or anyone can send these emails. Share this advocacy resource link at your school and at your state conferences. You can send the message to up to six media contacts at a time by selecting news outlets and clicking Send a Message.

2025 Ford Auto Tech Scholarships Available

TechForce Foundation, working with Ford Philanthropy and Ford Dealers, is awarding 800 tuition scholarships of $5,000 each to students pursuing careers in automotive or diesel technology. This need-based scholarship will be applied to a student’s school tuition account and may be used for tuition, tools, living expenses and transportation. Check out this flyer and visit the website for more information and to apply.

Big Scholarship Opportunities for College/Postsecondary Students

The Horatio Alger Association is offering 300 career and technical education scholarships of up to $2,500 each to students who’ve overcome obstacles and wish to pursue a career and technical education at an accredited, nonprofit college/postsecondary institution. The deadline to apply is June 15. Scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis throughout the spring and summer. Visit their website for full information and to apply.

SkillsUSA College/Postsecondary Scholarships Open

SkillsUSA members anticipating tuition expenses for the summer or fall 2025 academic terms can apply for scholarships from SkillsUSA and our generous industry partners. Scholarship applications require a letter of recommendation from a SkillsUSA advisor or another instructor, a resume and a brief essay.  Funds for scholarship awards are remitted directly to postsecondary institutions and applied to the student’s account balance. These scholarships are competitive and applying for a scholarship does not guarantee your selection. To get started, visit the scholarships page on the website to see scholarship opportunities, award amounts and application deadlines. For questions, contact our Customer Care Team.