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At Saratoga, YDF was Off to the Races

September 15th, 2010

Delmar Cengage Learning was an outstanding host for the August 25-26 Youth Development Foundation meeting in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. YDF member Kristen Davis and the Delmar Cengage team provided excellent meeting facilities, great meals and an incredible social event for YDF members and staff at the Saratoga Racetrack. It was an added bonus to have state association directors Kathie Collins (N.Y.) and Peter Carey (N.J.) participate in the YDF meeting.

The YDF discussed the upcoming CEO Champion of the Year Dinner, the SkillsUSA WorldTeam, alumni recruitment and development, teacher and state director membership incentives, needs of the SkillsUSA Championships and a renewed building campaign for the SkillsUSA National Leadership Center. One important decision reached was to hold the Fall 2011 YDF meeting at the National Association of Manufacturer’s headquarters in Washington and visit Capitol Hill to talk about the importance of SkillsUSA and career and technical education.

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Highlights

August 15th, 2010
  • On July 30, staff directors held an off-site retreat just across the river in Maryland to prepare for activities beginning this fall with particular emphasis on membership and marketing. We began with a Vision 2020 discussion and moved through funding priorities, the CEO Champion of the Year initiative and SkillsUSA WorldTeam. We’ve got a good management team with lots of ideas.
  • The State Association Director Annual Professional Development and Training Conference was just held in Herndon, Va. on August 10-15. New state association directors arrived on Tuesday, August 10, and began their training that evening. Experienced directors arrived on August 11. They had a packed schedule with lots of best practice sessions on association management. We had seven new directors attending, and 41 directors and assistant directors in all, and 34 state associations were represented.
  • We recently held a meeting at the center with E-Group to compare notes on the SkillsUSA Store at conference and to prepare for this coming fall. There have also been lots of meetings preparing for the Washington Leadership Training Institute.

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Highlights

August 1st, 2010
  • I’m pleased to report that SkillsUSA’s board of directors is now at full strength. Robert Wagner of Lowe’s and Joe Pietrantonio of Air Products complete the industry chairs and Kathryn Manns will now fill the chair for the American Association of Community Colleges. This is going to be quite a board meeting in August.
  • We held a post-conference debriefing meeting on July 13 and reviewed departments’ plus-delta reports. We created a top 10 challenges list of items to be overcome by next year’s conference, but – in the main – staff seems to believe that the conference went very well.
  • On July 20, SkillsUSA staff, by invitation, attended a high-level meeting at the Manufacturing Institute of the National Association of Manufacturers. The subject was industry’s concern on how it can excite American youth about manufacturing careers. They said manufacturing needs to rebrand itself. Participants also discussed the need for an umbrella organization to promote manufacturing careers to young people and to focus the message. The next phase of the discussion will be on message coordination. More meetings are planned.
  • The Virginia state officer team was here at the National Leadership Center on July 17 along with state director Dave Rathbone. On the 14th, we had a meeting with Microsoft consultants to talk about much needed upgrades to our software and the server.
  • And, on the 28th, I met with union executives at AFL-CIO headquarters to discuss support for the SkillsUSA WorldTeam.

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Highlights

June 15th, 2010
  • Just a few National Leadership and Skills Conference numbers: the most recent VIP guest list  includes nearly 250 people and it seems more keep coming all the time; we have 9,759 registered teachers and students, an increase over last year and we’re up to 5,661 contestants. The truck is packed and leaves today on its way to conference.
  • State Association Directors are encouraged to attend a special WorldSkills session on Thursday during NLSC. The meeting will be held at 11 a.m. in Bartle Hall, Room 2208. Simon Bartley, Chief Executive of the UK Skills and WorldSkills London will be giving an overview of plans for the 2011 WSC in London and Jon Gonzalez will discuss funding initiatives. Staff will provide information on the new team selection process and provide an update on WorldTeam members selected so far. The meeting should last approximately 30-34 minutes.
  • Staff has arranged two new events for business partners to meet during conference. One is a town hall-style meeting for current and prospective business and industry partners on how to derive the most benefit from a partnership with SkillsUSA. A panel of representatives from SkillsUSA’s leading business partners will conduct the discussion on Thursday, June 24, at 2 p.m., in Bartle Hall Room 2209. Second, We have also added a new SkillsUSA University session to help current and prospective partners learn best practices to get the most out of their partnership with SkillsUSA. Lynn Scheitrum of Air Products has agreed to moderate. This will be a good session for companies that are attending national conference for the first time, likewise for any prospective partners that state directors or others may plan to host during conference.
  • And, Kelly Horton has officially started work here and joined us as our new director of Membership, Marketing and Sales.

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SkillsUSA WorldTeam Update

May 1st, 2010

SkillsUSA is moving forward with plans to enter as many as 20 competitors in the 2011 WorldSkills Competition (WSC), contingent upon financial support. To date, five competitors have been selected to compete in Autobody Repair, Automobile Technology, Cabinetmaking, Car Painting and Cooking. To have adequate time for training and preparation of the team members, competitors will be selected from the 2009 SkillsUSA Championships. This will begin the new process of selecting the WorldTeam members more than one year in advance. Competitors for the 2013 WSC competitions in Germany will be selected from the 2010 and 2011 national competitions. For information on SkillsUSA’s participation in the WSC, please visit www. skillsusa.org/compete/worldteam.shtml. Photos and information regarding the competitors and sponsors to date will be posted soon.

The next WorldSkills Competitions will be held October 5-8, 2011 and will be conducted at the ExCeL London Exhibition and Conference center in England. The event will see almost 1,200 competitors from 52 countries compete in skills ranging from Landscape Gardening, IT Cabling, Wall and Floor Tiling to Restaurant Service, Mechanical Engineering Design and Floristry. Planning is underway and specific information regarding the program, schedules, housing, etc., will be posted on the WorldSkills London 2011 Web site, www.worldskillslondon2011.com as it becomes available.

SkillsUSA has contracted with Jon C. Gonzalez to serve as WorldTeam National Fundraiser. Jon is president and CEO of DC Charity Events and a former Wall Street investment advisor. Jon has extensive fund raising and special event experience as well as fund-raising course work from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He will be working closely with Eric Gearhart and Ada Kranenberg to coordinate fund-raising efforts supporting SkillsUSA’s WorldTeam 2011.

Jon’s work should not be confused with the CEO Champion of the Year fund-raising dinner to be conducted in New York City in October. That effort seeks to raise unrestricted dollars for SkillsUSA’s mission.

Don Hatton will continue to serve as the Technical Delegate to WorldSkills International for the United States and Ada Kranenberg has returned as our Official Delegate to WorldSkills International. Mark Claypool will repeat his volunteer role as Team Leader.

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World Medalists Return from Brazil

April 1st, 2010

We received word on March 15 that Daniel Lehmkuhl of San Luis Obispo, California earned a silver medal in automotive service technology and Chase Trayal of Meridian, Mississippi earned a silver medal in cabinetmaking following the four-day WorldSkills Americas Competition in Rio de Janeiro. News releases went out last week. The entire team has returned safely. The U.S. was the only nation in North America to send student contestants. Canada and Mexico sent observers as we did to test the waters before sending the WorldTeam to London in 2011. Additional information on the WorldSkills Americas Competition and our U.S. delegation may be found at www.skillsusa.org/compete/worldskillsamerica.shtml. By the way, I’ve been told that our students were treated like “rock stars” throughout the competition. That’s nice to hear.

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SkillsUSA Competes in WorldSkills Americas

March 15th, 2010

The first ever WorldSkills Americas competition is being conducted in Rio de Janeiro, March 10-13 in conjunction with the Brazil national competitions. The National Service for Industrial Training (SENAI) in Brazil is hosting.

The Participants from 12 countries have entered competitions in 20+ trade areas. Twenty-eight countries have sent trade experts and Technical and Official delegates to observe and assist with the management of the competitions.

The SkillsUSA WorldTeam consists of five technical experts supporting the two students competing in Automotive Service Technology and Cabinetmaking. Daniel Lehmkuhl, Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, Calif. is competing in Automotive Technology. Chase Trayal, Meridian Community College, Meridian, Miss. is competing in Cabinetmaking. Both are medalists from the 2009 SkillsUSA Championships. SkillsUSA’s Official Delegate and Technical Delegate to WorldSkills International are also attending, as is the WorldTeam’s Team Leader.

The technical experts are as follows:

  • Kelly Caudle, Stanly Community College; – IT/PC Networking
  • Ray Connolly, DRS Technologies – Welding
  • Pat Klarecki, Ferris State University – Graphic Design and Printing
  • Scott Norman, Pittsburg State University – Automotive Technology
  • Rob Tobias, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology – Cabinetmaking

We believe we can improve our performance at the next WorldSkills competition in London in October 2011 due to our students and technical experts participating in WorldSkills Americas. The competition mirrors the WorldSkills Competition and runs four days, the same schedule the students will face in London.

We have received notification that our two competitors both earned silver medals in their respective competitions. Congratulations Chase and Daniel!

SkillsUSA's WorldTeam Silver Medalists

Chase Trayal and Daniel Lehmkuhl show off their silver medals.

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Recent Retirements from National Staff

February 15th, 2010

Both Ada Kranenberg, program director for the SkillsUSA Championships, and Karen Perrino, director of our Office of Marketing and Membership Services retired during the week of Jan. 22. Both are long-tenured. Ada joined the staff in 1982, and Karen has been with us for nearly 18 years. Both have been vital to the success of SkillsUSA.

Karen has been a leader in many areas through the years in publications, marketing and membership. SkillsUSA reached record levels of membership during her time as director of Marketing and Membership Services, and she was instrumental to our entire brand initiative. “I’m thankful Karen will continue to help us during this transition on marketing initiatives already underway and on the Lowe’s project where she has been such a leader for us. She is a consummate professional, and all of us wish her well with her move to Florida.

Ada began work with SkillsUSA back when it was VICA and worked with me when I managed the Championships from 1996 to 2001. She has been instrumental in guiding the Championships’ phenomenal growth from 36 contests to today’s 96, and she’s worked tirelessly with all of the technical committees and sponsors who make the Championships possible. Ada has also been our point person for the WorldSkills Competition for the past two decades. I’m happy to say that Ada will continue as a consultant and manager for the SkillsUSA WorldTeam through the WorldSkills Competition to be held in London in 2011. She will also lead our delegation to the AmericaSkills events in Brazil next month. SkillsUSA will be sending two students; six technical experts; Mark Claypool (our team leader), and Don Hatton, the U.S. technical delegate. This is all in preparation for the WorldSkills event in London, England in 2011.

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Highlights

November 15th, 2009
  • On October 21, I met in St. Louis with executives in the Global Opportunities Product Lifecycle Management division of Siemens. The meeting was arranged by board member Cameron Ferguson, Caterpillar, and student national officers Jason Brigner (Region III) and Brandon Mullings (college/postsecondary vice president) made the SkillsUSA presentations to Siemens. We talked about support for the SkillsUSA WorldTeam and getting their support on the Youth Development Foundation, on Championships technical committees and providing subject matter experts for engineering assessments in the Work Force Ready System. They’re very interested in giving software grants to schools.
  • We signed an agreement with GAERF (Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation) to offer five co-branded PrintED/SkillsUSA Skill Connect assessments. The five are graphic communications, advertising design, screen printing, digital file preparation/digital file output and offset press operations/binding and finishing. News releases and official announcements are still being prepared. We’re very enthusiastic about this partnership because we are partnering with THE organization that certifies instructional programs and is recognized by the graphics/printing industry.
  • My trip to California on October 16 and 17 went well. I worked with the California board on board training, state association policy and worked with them on strategic planning.
  • Development of the instructional program for the Engineering Alliance is going well according to staff. Staff developed the EA logo, and we’re in the process of getting it trademarked.
  • According to our marketing director, “Monster Garage” on the Discovery Channel is now talking about having eight SkillsUSA students participate in the programs to be taped at the end of November and possibly airing this coming spring. Thanks go to Lowe’s and Kobalt Tools for making the connections.
  • On October 26, staff attended a manufacturing summit in Washington, D.C. hosted by NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) and the Swiss Embassy. Approximately 80 people attended. A common theme throughout was the frustration of domestic employers – and the disbelief of foreign manufacturers – with the U.S. public education system. “Over and over again we heard: “We want better CTE and we want more CTE.”” Assistant Secretary of Labor Jane Oates spoke during the summit.
  • We had a good training seminar on diversity for department directors on October 20 with Ellen Hyslope from Human Resources at Middleburg Bank. Her key message to managers: Make sure you’re focused on creating equal opportunities for all employees.
  • The Youth Development Foundation Committee’s spring meeting is scheduled for March 17-18. It will be held here at the national center and there will be a joint session with the board of directors at that same time.

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More Honors from the WorldSkills Competition

October 1st, 2009
I’m pleased to announce that Jack Frederick, our automobile technology contestant on the SkillsUSA WorldTeam and a former national officer, received the Albert Vidal Award during the WorldSkills Competition in Calgary. The Albert Vidal Award recognizes the top 20 scorers among all 900 contestants in all contests. This award is in addition to Jack’s silver medallion in the automobile technology competition and his gold medal for being the best of nation.
Just to recap: the 16-member SkillsUSA WorldTeam entered 15 contests and brought home two silver medallions and four medallions of excellence for scoring above 500 points in the 600-point contests. This is the best medal score for the U.S. since 2001.
News releases on the team since its return have been sent to hometown papers of the winners and to the trade press. WorldTeam has garnered 73 news stories including Motor Age, Contracting Business, Collision Week and many others. Trade news releases were mailed on September 19th and were being picked up and published online within minutes. The overall team news release went out last week to the education media and to the team hometown papers.
Silver Medals
–Jack Frederick from Wichita, Kansas and a student at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, Automobile Technology
–Joe Young from Heartland, Michigan and a student at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Welding
Medallions for Excellence
–Amela Mujkic from Clinton Township, Michigan and a student at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, Printing
–Ben Janke from Madison, Wisconsin and a student at Madison Area Technical College, Car Painting
–Craig Growney from East Rutherford, N.J., and a student at the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y., Cooking
–Jennifer Miaczynski from Bourbonnais, Illinois, and a student at Kankakee Area Career Center in Bourbonnais, Hairdressing
Other members of WorldTeam who competed in the WorldSkills competition were
–Scott Raymond from East Hampton, Massachusetts and a student at Universal Technical Institute in Norwood, Massachusetts, Autobody Repair
–Kyle Wegman from Parkesburg, Pennsylvania and a student at Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Cabinetmaking
–Fernando DeLaGarza from Meridian, Idaho and a student at Dehryl A. Dennis PTEC-Boise in Meridian, CNC Milling
–Josef Schwarzer from Leonard, Michigan and a student at Romeo Engineering and Technology Center in Washington, Michigan, CNC Turning
–Hayden LeJeune from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and a student at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Industrial Electronics
–Kinzie Doll from Kansas City, Missouri and a student at DeVry University in Kansas City, IT/PC Networking
–Adam Bierschbach from Albany, Minnesota and a student at Alexandria Technical College and Adam Wiechmann from Melrose, Minnesota and a student at Alexandria Technical College competed as a team in Mechatronics
.–Leroy Rogers from West Allis, Wisconsin and a UA apprentice, Plumbing
–Ryan Rutherford from Stickney, Illinois and a UA apprentice, Refrigeration
We’re tremendously proud of this year’s WorldTeam and thankful to our technical experts, official and technical delegates, and team leader, sponsors and supporters who made the team’s success possible.

I’m pleased to announce that Jack Frederick, our automobile technology contestant on the SkillsUSA WorldTeam and a former national officer, received the Albert Vidal Award during the WorldSkills Competition in Calgary. The Albert Vidal Award recognizes the top 20 scorers among all 900 contestants in all contests. This award is in addition to Jack’s silver medallion in the automobile technology competition and his gold medal for being the best of nation.

Just to recap: the 16-member SkillsUSA WorldTeam entered 15 contests and brought home two silver medallions and four medallions of excellence for scoring above 500 points in the 600-point contests. This is the best medal score for the U.S. since 2001.

News releases on the team since its return have been sent to hometown papers of the winners and to the trade press. WorldTeam has garnered 73 news stories including Motor Age, Contracting Business, Collision Week and many others. Trade news releases were mailed on September 19 and were being picked up and published online within minutes. The overall team news release went out last week to the education media and to the team hometown papers.

Silver Medals

  • Jack Frederick from Wichita, Kan., and a student at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kan., Automobile Technology
  • Joe Young from Heartland, Mich., and a student at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Mich., Welding

Medallions for Excellence

  • Amela Mujkic from Clinton Township, Mich., and a student at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich., Printing
  • Ben Janke from Madison, Wis., and a student at Madison Area Technical College, Car Painting
  • Craig Growney from East Rutherford, N.J., and a student at the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y., Cooking
  • Jennifer Miaczynski from Bourbonnais, Ill., and a student at Kankakee Area Career Center in Bourbonnais, Hairdressing

Other members of WorldTeam who competed in the WorldSkills competition were

  • Scott Raymond from East Hampton, Mass., and a student at Universal Technical Institute in Norwood, Mass., Autobody Repair
  • Kyle Wegman from Parkesburg, Pa., and a student at Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster, Pa., Cabinetmaking
  • Fernando DeLaGarza from Meridian, Idaho and a student at Dehryl A. Dennis PTEC-Boise in Meridian, CNC Milling
  • Josef Schwarzer from Leonard, Mich., and a student at Romeo Engineering and Technology Center in Washington, Mich., CNC Turning
  • Hayden LeJeune from Baton Rouge, La., and a student at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Industrial Electronics
  • Kinzie Doll from Kansas City, Mo., and a student at DeVry University in Kansas City, IT/PC Networking
  • Adam Bierschbach from Albany, Minn., and a student at Alexandria Technical College and Adam Wiechmann from Melrose, Minn., and a student at Alexandria Technical College competed as a team in Mechatronics
  • Leroy Rogers from West Allis, Wis., and a UA apprentice, Plumbing
  • Ryan Rutherford from Stickney, Ill., and a UA apprentice, Refrigeration

We’re tremendously proud of this year’s WorldTeam and thankful to our technical experts, official and technical delegates, and team leader, sponsors and supporters who made the team’s success possible.

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