In this update:
State Qualifying Events 2023 – Registration Now Open!
Every winter, hundreds of SkillsUSA Illinois members participate in the annual State Qualifying Events (SQE). These are regional career competitions and serve as the gateway to compete in SkillsUSA Illinois Championships during the annual State Leadership & Skills Conference. Chapters are encouraged to host local career competitions before advancing members to the State Qualifying Events process. Registration is now open, and more information can be found at https://www.skillsusaillinois.org/sqe. The deadline to register is Wednesday, January 25.
New Professional Development Experience
In partnership with the Illinois Association of Career and Technical Education, SkillsUSA Illinois will offer a new Professional Development track for advisors and instructors at this year’s IACTE Annual Conference. The conference will be held February 16-17, 2023, at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.
Connect with advisors and CTE instructors across the state, learn about opportunities and initiatives around leading a chapter, and share best and high-quality practices. Session topics include:
SkillsUSA Overview
Work-based Learning Programs (Pre-Apprenticeships and Registered Apprenticeships)
Program of Work and Chapter Management
SkillsUSA Championships (Career Competitions)
Advisor Panels and Round Table Discussions
Career Essentials (Employability Skills Curriculum)
Integrating the SkillsUSA Framework
Benefits of Professional Membership
To participate in this professional development experience, individuals must be fully registered through IACTE for the IACTE annual conference. Professional membership to IACTE is encouraged. During the registration process, please check the “SkillsUSA Track” option either online or on the paper form. While at the conference, SkillsUSA Track participants will have access to general sessions and exhibitors as well as be able to attend other breakout sessions as they wish.
Learn more and find registration information at www.skillsusaillinois.org/iacte.
Technical Committee Chairperson Orientation Meetings
SkillsUSA Illinois will meet with our Technical Committee Chairpersons for an orientation meeting to prepare for the State Leadership & Skills Conference this coming April. Meetings are open to all career competition Technical Committee members. Meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, January 10 at 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. To register, please look for information in previous Technical Committee Chairperson emails or reach out to Amanda Rearden at arearden@skillsusaillinois.org.
Chapter Excellence Program and Advisor of the Year Deadline Approaching
Every chapter is encouraged to participate in the CEP and there are three award levels to recognize program involvement. The first two levels are acknowledged by a chapter’s state association and the third level is recognized nationally through Models of Excellence. Each level is designed to give chapters a benchmark for success and future improvement, leading to stronger chapters and more prepared students. The more a chapter applies the Framework in a meaningful and measured way, the greater the chance for CEP honors.
SkillsUSA Illinois offers discounted registration to the State Leadership & Skills Conference based on Chapter Excellence Program participation. The application is open in SkillsUSA Register (register.skillsusa.org) and the deadline to apply is March 10, 2023. For more information, visit https://skillsusaillinois.org/cep.
Chapters who achieve Chapter of Distinction (level 2) of the Chapter Excellence Program are encouraged to put forward an Advisor of the Year candidate. The SkillsUSA Advisor of the Year program recognizes professional members who actualize the organization’s mission of empowering students to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible American citizens. A SkillsUSA chapter is only successful with the support of an Advisor who has dedicated themselves to career and technical education by intentionally integrating the SkillsUSA Framework and ensuring students can articulate the skills they have developed. State recipients are submitted to the regional competition.
Advisor of the Year applications are open in SkillsUSA Register (register.skillsusa.org) upon submission of the chapter’s CEP Level 2 application. The deadline to apply is March 24, 2023.
New Championships Policy Feedback Opportunity
After a few years of virtual programming and our return to in-person programming, SkillsUSA Illinois has seen the need to review, revise, and remind individuals about policies around career competition clothing and observer involvement during the SkillsUSA Illinois Championships. SkillsUSA Illinois has reviewed and revised two policies and has outlined the penalties that should be enforced if someone is found in violation of these polices.
Associate Executive Director, Christopher Anderson, sent this update email to advisors with draft policy as well as to provide an opportunity for feedback before finalizing these policies. Please complete the survey in the email by January 6 to provide any feedback you may have.
SLSC 2023 – Thursday Dinner Update
Last month, SkillsUSA Illinois surveyed our chapters about offering an optional Thursday evening meal as an add-on to SLSC registration. Based on the feedback received, there is not enough interest to support this opportunity for this year. SkillsUSA Illinois will re-survey about this in future years. In addition, SkillsUSA Illinois is working with the City of Peoria to provide more information on additional meal options in the area.
NCCER Instructor Certification Training Program
As an Accredited Training Sponsor for NCCER, SkillsUSA Illinois is able to provide craft trade training programs the opportunity to offer professional, transferable certifications to their students. For more information, visit https://www.skillsusaillinois.org/ready2.
SkillsUSA Illinois will offer a NCCER Instructor Certification Training Program class January 17-19 from 12 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. This can be completed in-person at the SkillsUSA Illinois Office in Pekin or virtually via Zoom. To register, email Christopher Anderson at canderson@skillsusaillinois.org.
