New Advisors
Lead a Thriving Chapter
You do not have to figure it out alone.
Advisors make SkillsUSA possible. This page gives you a clear starting point for building a chapter, registering members, and planning a strong first year.
Use the steps below in order, then return to the Advisor Hub for ongoing deadlines, events, and chapter tools.
your first steps
Build the Foundation
Step 1: Contact the Customer Care Team
Contacting the SkillsUSA Customer Care Team will ensure your questions about starting a new chapter, engaging chapter members, and strengthening an existing chapter are answered. Call them with questions or to ask where to find resources.
Phone: 844-875-4557
Email: customercare@skillsusa.org
Step 2: Secure Support from School Administration
Successful SkillsUSA chapters work with school administrators from the onset. It is essential to receive permission and support from your administration to start a SkillsUSA chapter. You can write a letter or request a meeting with your administrator to secure their support for this school year. SkillsUSA Letterhead, a chapter SkillsUSA logo generator, photos, and PowerPoint templates can be found in the SkillsUSA Brand Portal.
Step 3: Connect with our State Director
Once you have received support from your school administration, connect with our SkillsUSA State Director, Nathan Pickett. If you haven’t done so before, you must complete and submit both a SkillsUSA charter and constitution to our SkillsUSA State Director to make your chapter official!
Step 4: Incorporate SkillsUSA into Your Teaching Syllabus
Don’t miss this fundamental opportunity to start the year off right! Ensure students’ families understand that SkillsUSA will be an integral part of your career and technical program this year by including information directly in your syllabus to show its importance.
SkillsUSA activities and programs develop students in three distinct areas: personal skills, workplace skills, and technical skills that are grounded in academics. Families will appreciate that their students are becoming more employable and gaining a competitive advantage in the job market through their SkillsUSA experiences — no matter what their future career.
Step 5: Register Student and Professional Members
Now that you’ve established your chapter, it’s time to register yourself and your students. There are two resources that you can utilize to walk you through the process of registering yourself as a professional member and your students:
Step 6: Electing and Training Officers
Electing chapter officers allows your chapter to move from advisor-led to advisor-supported. Students take the lead with SkillsUSA. Serving as a chapter officer is one of the best ways for students to hone their workplace and leadership skills.
Step 7: Recruit Members
Now that you’ve established your officer team, let’s prepare to recruit members.
Recruitment is an ongoing effort throughout the school year, and SkillsUSA provides practical tools to support chapters through the Back to School Resources.
These resources include step-by-step guidance for joining SkillsUSA, flyers and templates to promote meetings and membership, planning guides for advisors and chapter leaders, a chapter recruitment slide deck, social media templates, and incentive information to support local recruitment efforts. Chapters can use these resources at the beginning of the school year or anytime they are working to grow membership.
You can submit your recruitment efforts for the opportunity to be spotlighted on the SkillsUSA Champions digital hub.
Use the Membership Form for Registration System Data Collection to gather the information needed to add your students to the SkillsUSA member portal.
Additional Recruitment Resources/Ideas:
- Host a SkillsUSA Open House night. Invite the chapter officers to “meet and greet” any potential members and speak about the benefits of joining SkillsUSA.
- Show the “Why SkillsUSA?” video series during the SkillsUSA Open House event to showcase the many benefits and opportunities that are available through joining SkillsUSA.
Step 8: Chapter Meetings
It is essential to hold meetings on a regular basis and to inform students when meetings are scheduled. The meeting times and locations can take a variety of forms to meet the needs of your student body. Because SkillsUSA is integral to CTE programs, many chapters hold meetings during the school day within each class period to give everyone an opportunity to be involved. However, you can get creative and hold chapter meetings when they work best for your students and their school day.
Step 9: Framework Essential Elements and Program of Work
SkillsUSA Framework
Every aspect of our program is built around the SkillsUSA Framework, which emphasizes personal, workplace, and technical skills grounded in academics. The Framework provides a common language to communicate what students learn in the classroom and laboratory. Show this special video to chapter members as an introduction to the SkillsUSA Framework.
Essential Element Self-Evaluation
Have each member complete the Essential Element self-evaluation to rate themselves on each Essential Element. This assessment will help your chapter members identify their strengths and weaknesses, allowing your chapter to create and plan the Program of Work intentionally.
Advisors can receive an aggregated report of all chapter members for use in planning their chapter’s Program of Work and/or the SkillsUSA Framework skill-building lessons. To receive your chapter’s report, please contact SkillsUSA’s Customer Care team.
Program of Work
The SkillsUSA Program of Work is divided into six categories. These categories define areas of focus for a well-run chapter, much like a well-run business is divided into different divisions. Each category or committee has specific responsibilities, but all contribute to the overall success of the SkillsUSA chapter.
Resources, videos and activities can all be found on the SkillsUSA website and many more resources are within your Program of Work Toolkit. This is provided when you join as a Professional member and is located in SkillsUSA Pathful, our all-in-one career exploration and workforce readiness platform.
Step 10: Attend Professional Development Opportunities
Throughout the year, SkillsUSA will offer free, online learning. These virtual sessions are designed to help participants strengthen their chapters immediately. Topics include starting a chapter, recruiting members, running successful chapter meetings, and navigating the SkillsUSA registration system.
Step 11: Include Administrators in Chapter Success and Recognition - CEP
As you kick off your school year and get students engaged in the chapter, be sure to share the excitement and success of your events with your school administrators and guidance counselors. Chapter officers can invite administrators, deans, or faculty members to bring greetings to members at an upcoming chapter meeting or observe an activity or service project. This allows administrators to see student members in action, using their leadership skills. Have a chapter officer follow up by sending a thank-you card.
Your students are the stars of your organization, so don’t miss any opportunity to share their success and involvement in SkillsUSA activities and programs. Local newspapers and TV stations appreciate positive stories to share with their communities. Continuously consider new ways to keep stakeholders involved and informed about your chapter.
The Chapter Excellence Program (CEP) is the single best way to build a successful SkillsUSA chapter. CEP recognizes achievement related to integrating the SkillsUSA Framework into chapter Program of Work (PoW) activities. As a chapter’s yearly action plan, the Program of Work is at the heart of student learning and employability development. By using the Framework as a guide, chapters have a blueprint for creating relevant activities that encourage participation and build understanding of the learning gained during each activity. The Framework’s focus on intentional learning turns the Program of Work into more than just a planning tool. When you use the Framework, the Program of Work becomes the vital conduit that links students to the application of personal, workplace, and technical skills demanded by industry, the SkillsUSA trifecta for student success!
Every chapter is encouraged to participate in CEP, and there are three award levels to recognize program involvement. The first two levels are acknowledged by a chapter’s state association, and the third level is recognized nationally. Each level is designed to give chapters a benchmark for success and future improvement, leading to stronger chapters and more prepared students. The more a chapter applies the Framework, the greater the chance for CEP honors.
Step 12: Display SkillsUSA Posters
Introduce your student members to the 2026-27 SkillsUSA theme, “Level Up”, and hang the posters from your SkillsUSA Membership Kit in a prominent classroom or school hallway location. These posters help raise awareness of SkillsUSA and generate excitement among students to become SkillsUSA members.
program of work
Turn your chapter’s goals into action.
SkillsUSA’s Program of Work is a roadmap for planning meaningful, student-led activities throughout the year. Its six focus areas help chapters build career-ready skills while strengthening connections with their school, community, and industry.
01
Advocacy & Marketing
02
Community Engagement
03
Financial Management & Fundraising
04
Leadership Development
05
Partner & Alumni Engagement
06
Workplace Experiences
CHAPTER EXCELLENCE PROGRAM
Build a stronger chapter and earn recognition.
The Chapter Excellence Program (CEP) helps SkillsUSA chapters connect their Program of Work activities to the SkillsUSA Framework. Chapters plan, lead, document, and evaluate meaningful experiences that prepare members for career success.
Important:
Recognition Level
Three levels of recognition: Quality Chapter, Chapter of Distinction, and Models of Excellence
Application Access
Before starting your application:
- Register and pay dues for student and professional members.
- Elect chapter officers and conduct regular chapter meetings.
- Create a projected chapter budget and Program of Work.
- Complete activities connected to all three SkillsUSA Framework components.
- Give students meaningful leadership roles throughout the process.
- Document chapter goals, plans, results, evaluations, and student learning.
- Review the current application guide and Chapter of Distinction rubric.
Applications are completed through the SkillsUSA registration portal. Advisors can also give student members access to help complete the chapter’s application.
Advisor Starter Kit
Keep the resources close.
01
Advisor Hub
Your ongoing home for chapter tools, dates, training, and communication.
02
Membership & Registration
Access the national membership and conference registation system.
03
Events
Build your chapter calendar around Utah conferences and key dates.
04
Competition Hub
Understand the state competition process and preparation requirements.
05
Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers about memebrship, supervision, and conferences.
06
Contact SkillsUSA Utah
Get help from the state team when you need it.
Your next step
Introduce yourself to SkillsUSA Utah
The state team can confirm your chapter status and help you access the new advisor resources.