“Our mission has always been to equip students with the skills and confidence they need to succeed,” says Chelle Travis, Executive Director of SkillsUSA. “We can’t do that without our business and industry partners. It takes collaboration among education, government, and employers to make SkillsUSA what it is today— the number one workforce development organization for students in the nation.” A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP AND TRANSFORMATION The organization’s roots date back more than 60 years, originally known as the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA).Two and a half decades ago, as the economy evolved and “vocational education” gave way to career and technical education (CTE), VICA rebranded as SkillsUSA— signaling a renewed focus on empowering students to pursue skilled careers as a first choice rather than a fallback option. Travis recalls that moment as pivotal. “There was a huge national effort to change the perception of skilled trades,” she says. “We wanted students, parents, and educators to see CTE not as a second choice, but as a respected, valuable, and essential pathway to a family-sustaining career.” That cultural shift has proven prescient. Today, the U.S. faces an estimated 2.1 million unfilled manufacturing jobs and half a million openings in construction. SkillsUSA’s mission — to empower students to become skilled professionals, careerready leaders, and responsible community members — is more vital than ever. CONNECTING EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY SkillsUSA operates through a nationwide network of state associations and local chapters, where students gain hands-on experience in more than 130 occupational areas, from welding and construction to 3D animation, culinary arts, and public safety. Each chapter implements a Program of Work, a practical guide that helps students develop personal, workplace, and technical skills grounded in academics that built on the SkillsUSA Framework— 17 essential elements identified by over 1,000 business and industry partners as critical for workplace success. 227 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 SKILLSUSA
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