Also While in Charlotte
SkillsUSA had a good ACTE conference December 4 through 6. There were lots of visitors to our trade show booth. This year, we featured SkillsUSA’s program and the Work Force Ready System. Interest was high in both areas. According to staff, there was a steady stream of people coming by to see the demonstration of the Skill Connect Assessments. More than 30 people attended the 9 a.m. workshop on Skill Connect Saturday morning. Other staff members were all busy in the trade show and giving four additional workshops on the Champions for Change vulnerable community pilots, service learning, SkillsUSA programs and on how to use the combination of CSEP, PDP and employability skills assessments.
Of course, one of the best parts of any ACTE conference as far as I’m concerned is having student national officers there representing the organization and getting to spend time with the staff. Brittany Moon, high school division president and Zachary Ferguson, college/postsecondary secretary were the officers with us, and they did a great job.
Brittany was also with me on Thursday, December 4 while I visited some businesses in Charlotte. Kelly Persons of Lowe’s set up the visits and traveled with us for the full day. First, we visited Duke Energy where they’re interested in supporting initiatives in teacher training, sustainability and alternative fuels and diversity. Next, we visited Rodgers-Dooley Construction, one of the premier commercial builders in the area. Both firms are interested in the SkillsUSA program, but their focus is on the states where they do business: North and South Carolina, Ohio and Indiana. For its part, Lowe’s talked with me about expanding its national partnership as well as some new initiatives to increase support at the state level all across the country.
