SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization. It is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce.

SkillsUSA serves middle school, high school and college students in programs preparing them for technical, skilled and service careers.  In addition to technical skills training, SkillsUSA provides educational experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. More than 300,000 students and advisers join SkillsUSA annually.

SkillsUSA was founded as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America in 1965.  In 2004, the name changed to SkillsUSA. Since 1965, the organization has served more than 11.2 million members in Nebraska, more than 35,000 members have participated since 1967.

The state championships showcase the best career and technical students in Nebraska. It is like the Nebraska state sports tournaments for aspiring welders, chefs, homebuilders, healthcare workers and more. First-place winners go on to the SkillsUSA National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky.

Industry partnerships make the event possible. Partners prepare and coordinate dozens of contests, making sure each competition reflects industry standards. Partners can provide monetary donations to the organization and prizes/scholarships to contest winners.