2025 Leadership Award Study guide

SkillsUSA Motto

Preparing for leadership in the world of work

The shield represents…

The shield represents patriotism. The shield denotes our belief in democracy, liberty, and the American way of life.

The gear represents…

The gear represents the industrial society. The gear, symbolic of the industrial society, denotes the interdependence and cooperation of the individual working with labor and management for the betterment of mankind.

The torch represents…

The torch represents knowledge. The flaming torch reflects the light of knowledge, which dispels the darkness of ignorance. In the light of the torch, progress will be made toward the vocational goals of the individual.

The orbital circles represent…

The orbital circles represent technology. The circles represent the challenge of modern technology and the training needed to accept and master the challenge of new technical frontiers and the need for continuous education.

The hands represent…

The hands represent the individual. The hands portray a search for knowledge and our desire to acquire a skill. In the process of attaining knowledge and skill, we will develop a respect for the dignity of work and become productive and responsible citizens.

Official colors of SkillsUSA

• The colors red, white, blue, and gold represent the national SkillsUSA organization.

• Red and white represent the individual states and chapters.

• Blue represents the common union of the states and of the chapters.

• Gold represents the individual, the most important element of the organization.

SkillsUSA Creed

I believe in the dignity of work

I believe in the American way of life

I believe in education

I believe in fair play

I believe satisfaction is achieved by good work

I believe in high moral and spiritual standards

SkillsUSA Pledge

Upon my honor I pledge:

• To prepare myself by diligent study and ardent practice to become a worker whose services will be recognized as honorable by my employer and fellow workers.

• To base my expectations of reward upon the solid foundation of service.

• To honor and respect my vocation in such a way as to bring repute to myself.

• And further, to spare no effort in upholding the ideals of SkillsUSA.

Definition of a quorum

The minimum number of members of an assembly or society that must be present at any of its meetings to make the proceedings of that meeting valid.

The 3 credentials students can earn through the Career Essentials Program

• Exploratory Micro-Credential

• Fundamentals Micro-Credential

• Career Essentials Credential

What is the Career Essentials Program?

Career Essentials ensure students have the foundational skills, attitudes, and values to distinguish themselves from other applicants in the skilled labor marketplace. Once on the job, students will be productive and promotable. The SkillsUSA Career Essentials suite is the solution to our Nation’s needs in producing career-ready graduates who are prepared to face the 21st-century demands of employers.

The 4 Experiences available in the Career Essentials Program?

• Exploratory (ages 12-14)

• Fundamental (ages 14-16)

• Advanced (ages 17-19)

• Adult Learner (ages 20+)

SkillsUSA Program of Work

• Provides the road map for planning and implementing chapter activities.

• Works hand-in-hand with the SkillsUSA Framework.

• When a chapter provides rich experiences in all six categories of the PoW, it empowers students to become career-ready. These activities allow students the opportunity to practice and perform the Essential Elements of the SkillsUSA Framework and receive feedback to strengthen their skills.

The 6 committees of the PoW

• Workplace Experiences

• Leadership Development

• Partner and Alumni Engagement

• Advocacy and Marketing

• Financial Management

• Community Engagement

The 4 Pillars of Leadership

• Trust

• Stability

• Compassion

• Hope

What does POWERR stand for?

Pre-work

Outlook

Wisdom

Engagement

Review

Reflection

2025-2026 National Theme

Champion Your Future

President’s job

♦ Must have good leadership qualities

♦ Must be able to work with others and encourage them

♦ Knows what work needs to be done and when to delegate it

♦ Prepares all Officer Meeting agendas, along with the Secretary

♦ Conducts all Officer Meetings, making sure that they start on time and follow the order of business

♦ Has a complete understanding of the items being discussed and the possible effects of their recommendations

♦ Ensures all meetings follow the correct parliamentary procedure

♦ Keeps in contact with the State Director/Director of Program Development and communicates any information to the other members of the Officer Meetings

♦ Make sure that a gavel is at every meeting and conference sponsored by SkillsUSA Massachusetts

♦ Make sure a clean copy of the script is placed on the podium in a three-ring binder before the start of any meeting or conference

♦ Keeps the members of the Officer team informed of any cancellations or adjustments that are being made to any activity

♦ Prepared for all meetings with the gavel and any other necessary materials

Vice President’s job

♦ Prepares to run Officer Meetings if the President is not in attendance

♦ Keeps in contact with local chapters about SkillsUSA activities that are taking place in their chapter

♦ Keeps in contact with the President and assists in communicating any cancellations or adjustments that are being made to any activity

♦ Is prepared at all meetings and conferences with the gavel and other necessary materials

♦ Responsible for a year-end report of the Officer Meetings accomplishments, which is reported to the members at the State Leadership and Skills Conference

♦ Responsible for overseeing statewide community service initiatives and monitoring chapter activities.

Secretary’s job

♦ Keeps the minutes of all Officer Meetings and conferences sponsored by SkillsUSA Massachusetts

♦ Prepares the agenda, along with the State President, for all Officer Meetings

♦ Comes prepared with a copy of the previous meetings minutes to be accepted and distributed to the other members of the Officer team.

♦ Keeps the minutes of all meetings in an organized manner in the Secretary’s notebook

♦ Strives to develop skills including listening, interpreting issues, taking concise notes, and reporting accurately

♦ Counts votes when an official motion has been made

♦ Keeps a copy of the State and National Constitution and by-laws for reference during meetings

♦ Be prepared at all meetings and conferences with the secretary’s notebook and any other necessary materials

Treasurer’s job

♦ Keeps track of financial situations that include the Officer team.

♦ When staying at a hotel, obtains room bills for every member of the Officer Meetings and makes sure they are paid and each member has been properly checked out of the hotel

♦ Maintains records accurately

♦ Prepared at all meetings and conferences with the treasurer’s notebook and any other necessary materials

♦ Receives travel expense reports from all members of the Officer team, checks them for accuracy, ensures that all expenses reports are accompanied by proper receipts, signs the reports, and submits them to the State Staff

Parliamentarian’s job

♦Makes sure that every Officer meeting and conferences sponsored by SkillsUSA Massachusetts is run according to Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised

♦ Must be able to gain the confidence of others, since they may be called to settle controversial issues

♦ Be prepared at all meetings and conferences with Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised and any other necessary materials

♦ Serves as a resource to the President on procedural issues and assists the member delegates with successful participation in business meetings of SkillsUSA

Reporter’s job

♦ Makes sure that the Massachusetts SkillsUSA social media plan is prepared and distributed

♦ Can write, or willing to learn to write, news stories on state activities and posts for social media

♦ Prepares social media assignments for members of the Officer Meetings and establishes deadlines for submission

♦ Keeps in contact with Chapter Advisor’s about activities that are taking place in their chapter and encourages chapters to write articles for the newsletter

♦ Keeps in contact with the Staff regarding progress of the social media plan and meets deadlines established by the Office

♦ Prepared at all meetings and conferences with copies of the SkillsUSA Massachusetts social media plan and progress reports on publications and reports any difficulties to the Staff

Historian’s job

♦ Designs and seeks input and participation of all officers in the development of the Officer Meetings Scrap Book

♦ Collects objects, papers, etc. from every activity that the Officer Meetings takes part in

♦ Completes the Officer Meetings Scrap Book and brings it completed to the Officer Installation Ceremony the following August

♦ Prepared at all meetings and conferences with a camera and is prepared to take pictures for the scrap book

♦ Obtains any other necessary materials to complete the scrap book for the state archives

Region Vice President

♦ To accept the responsibilities of the President as occasions may demand, and be available as necessary, in promoting the general welfare of SkillsUSA

♦ To call the attention of the presiding officer to Chapter activities and work with state staff in planning and conducting Chapter visits

♦ To assist Chapters in their respective districts with organization, public relations, or other activities as appropriate.

♦ To represent the concerns of chapters in their districts to the Executive Council.

♦To promote the establishment of new chapters and the growth of existing chapters in their districts.

♦To act as a liaison between chapters in their district and the state SkillsUSA office.

Every Officer’s job

♦ Approach issues objectively to make decisions for the good of the members

♦ Work cooperatively with the other members of your team to make your leadership strong and effective and to ensure the organization’s success

♦ Make sure that you are aware of any cancellations or adjustments to any SkillsUSA Massachusetts activity

♦ Make sure that you arrive at any function on time

♦ Make sure that you have all the materials you need before arriving at a function

♦ Make sure that you look professional and have all the items of clothing that are required

♦ Be present at all SkillsUSA Massachusetts functions that have been scheduled in your Program of Work, as well as any other function that may arise during your term of office that requires your presence

♦ Be an effective manager of time and be able to accurately record meetings, conferences, and activities in a day planner, and follow through on responsibilities associated with each activity

♦ Work cooperatively with all members of the Officer Meetings to ensure that all team members have transportation to meetings and conferences and are prepared to participate

Overview of the SkillsUSA Framework

The SkillsUSA Framework illustrates how students fulfill the mission of the organization “to empower members to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible American citizens.”

What does the SkillsUSA Framework do?

• Provides a common language for students to articulate what they gain from SkillsUSA participation to employers, school administrators, parents, and other students

• Assesses student skill development along a learning continuum of awareness, demonstration, and mastery

• Creates a vision for SkillsUSA programs at the local, state, and national levels to ensure quality student-led experiences that build skills in all members

SkillsUSA Framework - Personal Skills

• Integrity

• Work Ethic

• Professionalism

• Responsibility

• Adaptability/Flexibility

• Self-Motivation

SkillsUSA Framework - Technical Skills Grounded in Academics

• Computer and Technology Literacy

• Job-Specific Skills

• Safety and Health

• Service Orientation

• Professional Development

SkillsUSA Framework - Workplace Skills

• Communication

• Decision Making

• Teamwork

• Multicultural Sensitivity and Awareness

• Planning, Organizing and Management

• Leadership

When and where to where badges and pins

• With official attire, pins are restricted to an officer pin, a name badge, the highest SkillsUSA Career Essentials pin, and the highest Stateman Award pin

• Name badge should be worn on the widest part of the right lapel (from your perspective), name badge should not exceed 3/4” high x 3” wide

• Center a conference pin, emblem pin, or president’s volunteer service award pin 1/2” below the name badge. If no name badge is worn, center pins at the widest part of the right lapel.

• Only one Statesman’s Award and one Career Essentials pin should be worn, representing the highest degree earned. They should be worn side by side, but if there is only one, center it 1/4” above the breast pocket.

National region 1

Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C.

National region 2

Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands

National region 3

Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky

National region 4

North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota

National region 5

Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, C Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa

11 Purposes of SkillsUSA

• To unite in a common bond all students enrolled in trade and industrial, technical, technology, and health occupations education

• To develop leadership abilities through participation in educational, occupational, civic, recreational, and social activities

• To foster a deep respect for the dignity of work

• To assist students in establishing realistic career goals

• To help students attain a purposeful life

• To create enthusiasm for learning

• To promote high standards in trade ethics, workmanship, scholarship, and safety

• To develop the ability of students to plan together, organize, and carry out worthy activities and projects through the use of democratic process

• To foster a wholesome understanding of the functions of labor and management organizations and recognition of their mutual interdependence

• To create among students, faculty members, patrons of the school, and people in industry a sincere interest in and esteem for trade and industrial, technical, technology, and health occupations education

• To develop patriotism through knowledge of our nation’s heritage and the practice of democracy

Local Chapter Organizational Structure

Advisor/Chapter Exec./Advisory Council

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Chapter

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Chapter Exec. Council

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Members

National Organizational Structure

National Board of Directors

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Exec. Director

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Joint National Exec. Council

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State Associations

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Local Chapters

State Association Organizational Structure

Board of Directors

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Executive Director

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State Executive Council

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Local Chapters