A little friendly competition is a great way to have your students show off everything they’ve learned! Each year SkillsUSA hosts nationwide competitions where students can put their career-relevant skills to the test. 

As the 2021-2022 championship season approaches, we wanted to share more about what these competitions look like and how they can be valuable for your students.

What are SkillsUSA Championships Competitions?

The SkillsUSA Championships are career competition events designed to showcase the nation’s students with the best career and technical education. These contents start at the local level and continue through the state and national levels. Each year, thousands of individuals compete in over a hundred different events. 

The purpose of the Championships is to reward students for excellence, involve industry in directly evaluating student performance, and keep training relevant to employers’ needs.

SkillsUSA Values that Support Your Students for the Future

Not all competitive environments will be the right fit for your students. Many competitions value winning over learning and don’t always have the students’ benefit at the core of their objectives. 

SkillsUSA is not one of these competitions. SkillsUSA exists to celebrate students’ accomplishments and empower them for successful careers in many fields. As one of their philosophies, SkillsUSA believes that every student has value and purpose, and their goal is to connect every student to meaningful career opportunities.

SkillsUSA is a student-led and advisor-facilitated organization. Students handle the leading, planning, and implementation work in these competitions, just as they will be expected to in their career. It’s not about perfection each time, but the learning and growth that happens along the way. 

To join SkillsUSA or register for a competition, click here. 

Technical Training Aids Partnership with SkillsUSA Competitions

TTA works with SkillsUSA in two of their competitions: Additive Manufacturing and Commercial sUAS Drones. 

Additive manufacturing competitions focus on building parts suitable for end-use service. With additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, students have unlimited design freedom to showcase their skills and creativity while meeting the demands of the industry. Watch a preview of SkillsUSA’s National Additive Manufacturing Challenge from 2018 here. 

TTA provides schools and students across the nation with the tools and resources to engage in hands-on learning and succeed in the workplace. Each year the demand for 3D printing skills grows, and students who are introduced to these technologies early have a greater ability to meet future demand. See our available 3D printing tools here. 

With the Commercial sUAS Drones competition, students’ skills are evaluated for safe and efficient use of drone technology in the National Airspace System through real-world, scenario-based situations. See the technical standards for this competition here. 

Supporting Students in STEM Education

SkillsUSA competitions are just one great way to allow students to showcase their skills and engage their passion for science, technology, engineering, math, and more. 

But, much of their learning and skill development will begin in the classroom. Many schools across the country are offering programs that champion hands-on experience for students as they explore possible careers. 

We not only provide technology and equipment to meet these needs, but the curriculum and resources to make these transitions seamless. To learn more about the tools and resources that would be a good fit for your school and students, contact us here.