High School | Secondary and College | Post-Secondary Students
Who We Are
SkillsUSA is a national organization serving teachers and middle school, high-school and college students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations, including health occupations, and for further education. SkillsUSA’s mission is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens.
SkillsUSA programs include local, state and national competitions in which students demonstrate occupational and leadership skills. At the annual national-level SkillsUSA Championships, more than 6,500 students compete in 103 occupational and leadership skill areas.
SkillsUSA programs also help to establish industry standards for job skill training in the lab and classroom, and to promote community service. SkillsUSA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and is cited as a “successful model of employer-driven youth development training program” by the U.S. Department of Labor.
SkillsUSA offers local, state and national opportunities in which students can demonstrate their personal, workplace and technical skills. These three components comprise the organizational framework of SkillsUSA. This framework serves as the blueprint for career readiness.
Our Partners
Nationally, SkillsUSA enjoys support from more than 1,100 corporations, businesses, associations and labor unions. These sponsors support SkillsUSA financially and with in-kind contributions because they believe in our mission. Each year, the SkillsUSA Foundation raises more than $3 million in unrestricted and restricted financial donations for SkillsUSA’s mission delivery. The SkillsUSA Championships requires a conservatively estimated $35 million in in-kind donations of volunteer labor and expertise, contest equipment and supplies, and contest prizes. More than 90 percent of SkillsUSA’s operational expenses is spent on program services for member students and educators.
The SkillsUSA FRAMEWORK supports a balanced program
The SkillsUSA Framework supports the mission of the organization “to empower members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens.”
What It Does
- 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.
Why It Works
- Empowers every student to achieve career success.
- Delivers a skill set demanded by business and industry but lacking in many employees today.
- Ensures that every student member receives a consistent and specific skill set.
There are a number of scholarships, for a variety of available to students who are SkillsUSA members. Prior to applying for any of these scholarships, members must have yearly dues paid. Additional criteria for eligibility include;
Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
All applicants must:
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Be registered, active SkillsUSA members.
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Include, within the application: a resume, a letter of recommendation from an advisor, instructor, or state director; and proof of SkillsUSA membership. (Advisors can provide proof of membership upon request.) Additionally, most scholarships have an essay component.
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Meet scholarship-specific criteria.
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Must plan on enrolling in a college/post-secondary program in the 2024-25 academic year, or if the student is a high school junior or younger, the academic term after high school graduation.
College/Post-Secondary members are encouraged to apply for scholarships on a yearly basis. Scholarships for College/Post-Secondary recipients are submitted directly to the student’s chosen institution, and not remitted to the individual.
SkillsUSA Master Scholarship Application: OPEN DEC. 1, 2022 to April 1, 2023
In 2023-24, students can apply for most scholarships via a single online application. Between December 1 and April 1, apply for the scholarships listed below via the SkillsUSA Master Scholarship Application. Apply here!
Students and advisors should continue to monitor the SkillsUSA Scholarships & Grants page for information on the application process, and to find scholarship opportunities available.
Contact Megan Flinn (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) with any questions, or for more information, on available scholarships.