Closing the Skills Gap

Efforts Support Workforce Development, Closing the Skills Gap

SkillsUSA, one of the largest student organizations in the U.S. is celebrating SkillsUSA Week from February 5 thorugh 9, 2024, as part of Career and Technical Education Month. Career and technical education and SkillsUSA are a vital solution to the nation’s growing skills gap. At a time when opportunity for employment is critical, SkillsUSA ensures students are equipped with the skills to successfully enter the workforce.

SkillsUSA Week annually highlights more than 380,000 SkillsUSA members and promotes career and technical education throughout the country, with more than 4,000 schools invited to participate. SkillsUSA is one of nine U.S. career and technical student organizations (CTSOs).

SkillsUSA Week activities at the local level include school tours and open houses, community service events, presentations to school boards, business leaders and legislators and interviews with the media. SkillsUSA Week is held each year in February, in conjunction with Career and Technical Education Month. Students at SkillsUSA schools nationwide have planned events to discuss opportunities in the skilled trades as they demonstrate their SkillsUSA Framework skills and carry out their chapter’s Program of Work.

“SkillsUSA Week is a time to lift up our students and recognize educators and business partners who bolster support for local programs that define student excellence,” says SkillsUSA’s executive director, Chelle Travis. “SkillsUSA is a talent pipeline that graduates 100,000 SkillsUSA students each year who strive to be career-ready on the first day of their job. SkillsUSA Week is one of our most important weeks of the year and a highlight for our students.”

As part of 2024 SkillsUSA Week, the 10-student national officer team will visit the U.S. Department of Education on February 8 for Advocacy Day to meet with Secretary Miguel Cardona and his team followed by legislative visits on Capitol Hill. During the week, one group of students will visit SkillsUSA Aerotek in Frederick, Md., while a second group of national officers will meet corporate donor representatives to accept their check for the Support the Trades campaign. For more about SkillsUSA Week go to:

SkillsUSA

(Source: SkillsUSA Press Release)