SkillsUSA is the number one workforce development organization for students. SkillsUSA empowers students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members. 

SkillsUSA has approximately 15,000 school chapters in 54 state and territorial associations.

Massachusetts has 61 affiliated chapters from the Berkshires to Boston. See our Current Chapters interactive map for Chapter information.

We have a list of forms HERE. If you aren't seeing what you are looking for, please CONTACT US and we will do our best to help you find what you are looking for.

No. Membership is Chapter (school based). See “Steps to beginning a Chapter” for more information on starting a Chapter.

• Teaching teamwork and leadership

• Reinforcing workplace, personal and technical skills

• Offering a national contest program

• Providing ways to serve the local community

• Offering $100,000 in scholarships annually.

• Click here for scholarships offered by the national office

• Helping students meet potential employers

• Still need more information. Click here

As a CTE instructor and SkillsUSA advisor, you’re a crucial link between students and career readiness. The SkillsUSA Framework communicates our definition of the career-ready individual. Within it, 17 Essential Elements are divided among three components: personal skills, workplace skills, and technical skills grounded in academics. To help teachers infuse SkillsUSA Framework skills in all students, professional members receive the following resources as part of their paid membership:

• Framework Integration Toolkit
  The Framework Integration Toolkit has everything you need to ensure career readiness for students, including videos, Framework Foundation lesson plans, experiential activities and more.

• Program of Work Toolkit
  The Program of Work Toolkit includes the 'Program of Work Launch Activity Guides', videos and resources to help you implement effective activities.

• Jump Into STEM!
  A chapter curriculum for members to mentor and engage elementary and middle school students in STEM learning while creating an opportunity for future recruitment. The program highlights engaging, hands-on learning provided by current SkillsUSA members for younger students.

• SkillsUSA Championships Toolkit
  The official rules and regulations for each of the competitions that are part of the championships. 

• E-Courses
  Contains SkillsUSA Framework Certification, CTE Knowledge Certification, Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a SkillsUSA

• Leader and Building Self-Motivation in Student Leaders. 

• Advisor Professional Development
  A variety of training opportunities, from webinars to classroom to multi-day sessions, there are a lot of options for differing training needs. 
  See more information here: 

Yes, individual student dues are $15 and advisor/professional member dues are $30 (February 15th deadline).

All membership is Chapter based. Chapter Advisors register their school on the National SkillsUSA website and student, and professional dues are paid through the registration website Click here to view the website 

The SkillsUSA Total Participation Plan (TPP) is the most popular way of affiliating with SkillsUSA in Massachusetts. TPP allows eligible students who are enrolled in technical, skilled, and service occupations, including health occupations, to participate in SkillsUSA as an integral part of their education.

This means the entire classroom, school or school district can join SkillsUSA on a single plan that covers national dues, state dues and employability skills training materials for students.

Through use of Total Participation Plan, students are provided the opportunity to develop SkillsUSA Framework skills that encompass the necessary personal, workplace and technical skills needed for career readiness. Affiliation through the Total Participation Plan means the school district has made a commitment to SkillsUSA to integrate Career Essentials: Experiences, Career Essentials: Assessments, and/or educational resources into your classroom.

Email Karen Ward at the SkillsUSA Massachusetts office at kward@maskillsusa.org to be added to the Chapter Advisor list and/or request more information.

1.    CONTACT THE STATE OFFICE

Karen Ward, Executive Director  
SkillsUSA Massachusetts, Inc.
501 Paramount Drive 
Raynham, MA 02767 
508-738-2474 
kward@maskillsusa.org 
https://www.maskillsusa.org/ 

2. Follow these steps to membership:

• Connect with SkillsUSA’s Customer Care Team at 844-875-4557 or customercare@skillsusa.org, or submit a request that your school be added to the registration site using our Request New School for SkillsUSA Membership form. A Customer Care Team member will assist you in getting your new chapter started. Team members will be able to send you a New Chapter Kit and ensure that all your questions are answered.

• Complete an application for charter and submit to the state office. The Chapter will then be added to the state mailing list and to the list of Chapters.

• Identify one or more possible SkillsUSA Chapter Advisors (technical instructors, a career counselor or another interested person within the school) to be the lead and help with the new chapter. *Be sure your designated Chapter Advisor(s) attend the Advisor Boot Camp in early Fall. This event is free of charge to all registered Chapters.

• Gain support from other faculty members if you plan to involve students from their training programs.

• Use the Quick Start access guide to establish traditional membership.

• Membership dues for traditional membership in Massachusetts are: 

• Student (High School) - National: $8.00, State: $7.00, Total per student: $15.00 

• Student (College PS) - National: $8.00, State: $7.00, Total per student: $15.00 

• Professionals (High School) - National: $20.00, State: $10.00, Total per professional member: $30.00 

• Professionals (College PS) - National: $20.00, State: $10.00, Total per professional member: $30.00 

• Massachusetts also participates in the following schoolwide membership affiliation plans:

• Total Participation Plan for High School - This is a school-wide affiliation plan. This allows all students to participate without the need for individual dues to be paid. The plan has an affiliation fee based on the number of students in your school and incorporates a curriculum fee per student. *Massachusetts has 41 Total Participation Chapters.

• Campus Affiliation Plan for College/Postsecondary 

Here is a quick overview of Total Participation:

• Register all eligible students and professionals using the state provided databases. 

• All students must be joined as members if they are enrolled in a career and technical class that SkillsUSA serves.

• Register at least 25 students and at least one professional for every 100 students. 

• The school(s) is responsible for ensure member names are correct and not duplicated.  

• Use the TPP educational resource credit to order and implement the Career Essentials: Experiences, Career Essentials: Assessments, CTE Knowledge and Framework Certification Bundle or order eligible educational resources from the SkillsUSA Resource online store. 

• Use of the educational materials ensure that instructors and administrative staff understand SkillsUSA programs and the proper use of SkillsUSA materials. 

• The school agrees to implement curriculum and or use educational resources at the school. If training is needed, SkillsUSA can assist in arranging for the necessary training. 

• Implement the SkillsUSA program to all eligible trade, industrial, technical and health sciences students and offer opportunities for eligible students to compete in local, state, or national skill and leadership and skills competitions and participate in leadership training and conferences through SkillsUSA.  

• Professional members (teachers/administrators) receive incentives, affiliation mailings and critical contest updates via email.

• Students registered by the Massachusetts established membership deadline qualify for SkillsUSA competitions, scholarships, and programming. *Total Participation Chapters can enter 1 additional contestant/team (at 1/2 price) in each competition at the district level.

3. Submit initial membership by the state deadline for establishing a Chapter and submitting the minimum number of members which is November 15th

4. Submit initial membership by the the final state deadline for membership which is February 15th

5. Minimum of 10 student members and at least one professional member per interested training program (shop) to start a chapter.

6. There Is NO charter fee.

Future Dates:
May 1, 2, 3, 2025
April 30, May 1&2, 2026

The National Conference is held in Atlanta, Georgia in June.  For more information about the National Conference click here

Future Dates:
June 23-28, 2025 (Atlanta, Ga.)
June 1-6, 2026 (Atlanta, Ga.)

The competitions of the SkillsUSA Championships are created and judged by industry to ensure that students are learning the real-world skills employers demand from entry-level professionals. Learn more about our competitive events below. These competitions represent some of the most highly skilled, in-demand skilled trade areas in the nation. For more information click here

There are over 111 contests that are part of the Massachusetts SkillsUSA Championships. Contest information can be found by clicking here

No. However, practice taking industry-written tests and be familiar with the types of information you should know. SkillsUSA tests are written to reflect industry standards. They are not based on any other type of test and questions are not taken from any particular test bank.

SkillsUSA Massachusetts also issues, annually, Study Guides and Quizlets for the Employability/Workplace Skills and Safety exams

No. However, the Technical Standards are issued annually for both state and national level competition with all requirements for the competition.

Contestants can also gain knowledge from reading the Insider’s Guide to the Competition which can be accessed here

In Massachusetts, competition scores are available approximately two weeks after the close of the state Awards Ceremony. Chapter Advisors are alerted when score cards are ready, and students can get their scores from their Chapter Advisor.

For National competition, scores are available approximately one-two weeks after the close of the national Awards Ceremony. Students can access their scores individually but must have their date of birth and contestant number to access their score card.

No, they will not be able to compete.

No, they will not be able to compete.

No. WorldSkills consideration is based on several factors and differ year to year, and contest to contest. The National organization does an annual evaluation of potential contestants and issues invitations to apply/participate in the trials as opportunities are identified.