SkillsUSA

Introduction

SkillsUSA is a Career and Technology Student Organization that empowers students to become world-class workers and leaders. SkillsUSA allows you to compete in competitions with members across your region, state, and nation that will prepare you for the world of work in your field of interest! Tie what you have learned in your CTAE pathway with opportunities to further prepare for your career and to network with other members. Let's explore what SkillsUSA has to offer!

Brief History of SkillsUSA

Student organizations are an integral part of career and technology education courses because they allow students, teachers, and industry representatives the opportunity to work together to ensure that America has a skilled workforce. Through competitions at the region, state, and national levels, students are able to compete in a number of areas that relate to career readiness, leadership, and field and industry.

In 1965, students and teachers who were serious about their professions and saw the need for more training in the area of leadership in order to complement their chosen vocations founded the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, Inc. (VICA). In Nashville, Tennessee fourteen states were represented as VICA chose its name, colors, motto, purposes and goals. Georgia was the first of 26 states to become chartered that year.

In 1967, there were over 40,000 members in 31 states and they began holding competitive events and introduced uniforms. In 1969, membership was up to 82,000 and VICA developed its first theme "Speak Up for America". In 1974, VICA purchased land for the National Leadership Center in Leesburg, Virginia. In 1976, 5,000 members attended the National Leadership and Skills Conference in Miami, Florida and membership reached 250,000 with 10,000 active chapters. In 1979, the National Leadership center was dedicated.

During all these years Georgia VICA was becoming stronger each year. A State VICA Director employed by the Georgia Department of Education administered the day-to-day operations of Georgia VICA. Georgia had several national officers during the formative years and was very successful in the competitive events at the National Conference, which were known as the United States Skill Olympics. Each year, Georgia VICA held a State Leadership and Skill Conference, and its own State Skills Olympics. The awarding of medals and the use of the medal stands for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners were modeled after those practices at the International Olympics. In 1994, due to a suit by the International Olympics Committee, the name of the competitions in Georgia and at Nationals was changed to the SkillsUSA Championships.

In 1997, The Georgia Department of Education decided to reorganize the Vocational Student Organizations, by encouraging them to become non-profit corporations. On July 1, Georgia VICA, SkillsUSA was incorporated by the Secretary of State and began operation under auspices of an eleven-member Board of Directors. The Board selects the State director to run the day-to-day operations. Our charter still comes through the Department of Education, as does a portion of our funding. At the Fall Leadership Conference at Jekyll Island on October 8, 2004, the advisors voted on the recommendation of the Board of Directors to change the name to SkillsUSA Georgia, Inc.

Students and teachers saw the need for more training in leadership. Founded the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America. Georgia VICA SKillsUSA was incorporated by the Secretary of State and began operation under the auspices of an eleven member board of directors

In keeping with a tradition of respect for the individuality of our members and our role in workforce development, SkillsUSA strives to ensure inclusive participation in all of our programs, partnerships and employment opportunities. SkillsUSA programs include local, state and national competitions in which students demonstrate occupational and leadership skills. At the annual national-level SkillsUSA Championships, over 5,900 students compete in 98 occupational and leadership skill areas. SkillsUSA programs also help to establish industry standards for job skill training in the lab and classroom, and promote community service.

SkillsUSA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and is cited as a "successful model of employer-driven youth development training program" by the U.S. Department of Labor. Students that get involved with SkillsUSA can continue to participate in and support the organization as they move from post-secondary education to the world of work. SkillsUSA empowers people with a desire to work in partnership to build communities with skilled workers leading to an overall strong workforce for communities.

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Review

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Takeaway - Leadership Skills

What Kind of Leadership Skills do I Have?

Watch the video below to learn about leadership skills from a famous hockey coach.

How to be an Effective Leader

Traits of a good leader include honesty, integrity, equality, partnership, accountability, responsibility. Any organization needs both leadership and management. 'Doing the right thing' and 'doing things right' is a quick summary of the difference. Doing the right thing implies a sense of vision and purpose – where are we going, what are we aiming for and why. Doing it right suggests efficiency and effectiveness: the how and the what questions of process and method.

The vision may be something unattainable or at least very long-term. So what does it mean in reality? Breaking it down into aims or goals helps as long as they remain visionary in the sense of inspiring and exciting.

A vision needs values and support. What is important to the organization in how it works out its vision? What will it do and what will it resist? A vision realized at any cost, in any way, is not good enough for most organizations. So honesty, integrity, equality, partnership, accountability, responsibility often emerge as values. The values dictate how the vision is worked out through its mission.

Mission is the purpose and to some extent the approach of the organization, what it's all about generally rather than in detail. The organization structure tends to follow the mission and therefore as that changes, so will the structure.

Strategy is the long-term plan of action to meet the aims of the organization identified in its mission to achieve its vision underpinned by organizational values. Strategic management is then how to implement the plan of action most effectively – doing things right. Strategic management is longer term or at a higher level than day-to-day or operational management. It is essential for an organization to prosper and for people to flourish in the work-place that management is effective both at operational and strategic levels. Both are necessary in the same way that we need to see at near and far distance.

So what makes for good leadership? Kouzes and Posner in 'The Leadership Challenge' identify five practices of exemplary leadership:-

Model the way – act and behave according to their spoken values
Inspire a shared vision – have a vision for the future and able to gain support
Challenge the process – encourage innovation, learning and are unafraid of failure
Enable others to act – foster collaboration, delegation and empowerment
Encourage the heart – show appreciation, recognition and promote celebration

An alternative although similar summary of leadership from 3D HR is to be ACE:

Articulate the vision – help people know why, what and how to deliver
Challenge what is done and how it is done – create a learning organization
Encourage, empower and enable – develop team working and personal development

Leadership is not confined to the Chief Executive of the organization. An effective leader will encourage leadership at all levels of the organization so that managers become team leaders within their sphere of influence and exhibit the traits of good leadership.

IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS