SkillsUSA

What is SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is an annual competition that 24PinTech students compete in for categories such as Internetworking, Cybersecurity, Career Pathways Showcase, Web Design and Development, and Information Technology Services. These competitions aim to survey a student's ability to complete a task at a professional standard and access their readiness to enter a professional work environment judged through a rubric of qualities that jobs look for in an applicant. Points are totaled by a set of professional standards such as your readiness to work through adhering to a dress code, fluency in your interviews and resume, process of solving a problem, and ability to communicate what is going on in your product.

24PinTech and SkillsUSA

We aim to bring as many students to SkillsUSA as possible, if your fluent in your work in class you are most likely to be competing in SkillsUSA with your peers. The competitions students compete in align with their duties in the classroom to ensure students can reach their full potential when doing their competition work. We go up to SkillsUSA as a class and come back as a class however once we are at the conference center it is important to remember that while you may be away from Mr. Chamberlain or any other teachers along on the trip you need to keep an adult informed to where you are going.

Competing

When it comes to the competitions we usually enter a majority of students into either Cybersecurity or Information Technology Services to align with the departments a student works in throughout the year. For example, a student working in the IT department will compete in Information Technology services and a student in the cybersecurity department will be entered into the Cybersecurity competition, though exceptions will be made if you excel in something outside of your department. Career Pathways Showcase, Internetworking, and Web Design and Development are competitions usually reserved for students who either express special interest in said competition, are selected by Mr. Chamberlain, or have done extra work in class that aligns with the competition guidelines.

Essentials to the trip

SkillsUSA involves a lot of walking, especially on your competition days where you have to get to your competition almost immediately after you get off the bus. Mr. Chamberlain will bring anything your specific competition calls for that is too big to fit in your bag such as posters, projectors, and extra laptops but it is important you at least have

• A light backpack
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Your Laptop
• Small Journal to write in
• A phone charger
• A water bottle
• Snacks
• Food Money

This list will guarantee you have a stress free day while you are at the convention center. Your competition may call for extra supplies such as a USB drive but everything else that is laid out on the competition page will most likely be provided on your competition day. It is especially important that you bring a water bottle, snacks, comfortable walking shoes, and some extra food money as the convention center will most likely not have any food services open during the event. You may have to leave the convention center to get a real meal throughout the day in which case you will follow the FIRST method

1. Find some friends You don't want to be caught traveling alone outside of the convention center
2. Inform an adult on the trip Tell them or text them where you're going and who you're with
3. Reach out to other students Other students may want something from the place you are going to if they cannot leave or may want to come along
4. Stay together Look out for each other and make sure you don't get lost
5. Timing is important Make sure that you are keeping track of time, especially when you go out the day of awards ceremony. Mr. Chamberlain will inform you of any events that you need to attend before you leave but be aware of these times as Mr. Chamberlain has a tendency to forget until the very worst time.