Rory Blanchard grew up between Oakwood Hills and Itasca, Illinois. In his senior year of high school, he learned about SkillsUSA Illinois at the trade school he attended. After hearing about what SkillsUSA Illinois had to offer, he decided to apply to compete in the Firefighting competition. 

As a student, Rory had always been relatively shy and didn’t often leave his comfort zone. Through the competitions, he was able to do so by connecting with others with a similar interest and in a supportive setting. Looking back, he believes SkillsUSA Illinois to be one of the high points of his high school experience. 

Rory was unable to participate in L.E.A.D. as it had already passed, but he still gained professionalism and leadership concepts from his time at the SkillsUSA Illinois State Leadership & Skills Conference. He saw then how SkillsUSA Illinois helped instructors prepare students in a fuller way than others may experience, and that struck a chord with him. He knew he wanted to stay involved with the organization and has volunteered ever since. 

After his SkillsUSA Illinois membership, Rory graduated and was part of the Roselle Fire Department Explore Post. From there, he was offered a part-time job as a Firefighter/EMT with Roselle. He went to the Fire Academy and then worked with Roselle for eight years where he obtained numerous certifications. After that, he was hired as a full-time Career Firefighter/Paramedic with the Rockford Fire Department where he also became a part of the Hazmat response team. He currently runs the Rockford Explore Post. In his leadership roles, Rory draws back on his experiences both as a competitor and as a volunteer with SkillsUSA Illinois to drive his actions and decisions when dealing with others. 

In his current position, Rory has taken what the Rockford Explorer Post was before COVID (when it was temporarily halted) and has brought it back with the intention of expanding it to include a True Cadet Program, for which he is in the drafting stages. For this project, he states he is bringing over a lot of things learned in SkillsUSA Illinois to prepare and develop a well-rounded experience for the students who participate. 

Rory believes SkillsUSA Illinois contributed to his ability to obtain employment right after high school because being a part of organization allowed him to prove to himself that he could do the job. He admits the competitions are relatively low risk, but the concept of competition and having to do the job in front of industry professionals and people he didn’t know gave him the confidence to succeed and demonstrate his abilities on the fly. He acknowledges it takes a certain kind of person to do public safety jobs and run into situations when most people run away. But the preparation for the role through SkillsUSA Illinois and his early positions made him ready to face those situations and come out ahead of the game. 

Rory continues to stay active in SkillsUSA Illinois as a volunteer and Cluster Chair. As a Cluster Chair, he is able to see more than one competition and gets more of an insight into the background work of the program. As a volunteer, he is able to see others who have a passion for their profession and want to share that passion with students who want to succeed in any given career trade. From judges to sponsors and volunteers to industry representatives, it is hard to imagine being in an environment where students could find more support than at a SkillsUSA event setting. 

The preparation for the role through SkillsUSA Illinois and his early positions made him ready to face those situations and come out ahead of the game. 

When asked what he had to say specifically about SkillsUSA Illinois in general, Rory was emphatic that schools need to be on board 100 percent. Dedicated advisors who are willing to put in the time and students who are willing to put in the effort toward the progress can only end in success. Comradery is another important concept addressed by Rory. Interacting with other students from outside your bubble who have the same passion and drive is a heavy motivator and a great method to plug in to support networks. Through the dedication and drive of everyone involved in the program, igniting that enthusiasm in the students is one fire Rory is happy to let burn.