General Notes
Important: The competition updates listed below provide members with the latest information about themes, clarifications, professional development test study guide, national competitor online submission/testing requirements and more. A competition update covers anything that is not listed in the official SkillsUSA Championships Technical Standards and that a competitor and/or advisor needs to be aware of and bring and/or complete for the national competition. State-specific competition updates are not published on the national website.
Competition Scorecards
Scorecards for the National Leadership and Skills Conference Competitions are not published in advance. Previously used scorecards are available to view as a reference only with the understanding that this year’s current scorecards will likely have changes.
They are available here as a download.
Competition Theme
The SkillsUSA competition theme for the 2022-23 school year is:
SkillsUSA: Our Time is Now
The topic to be addressed by competitors in the 2023 SkillsUSA Chapter Display, Prepared Speech and Promotional Bulletin Board competitions is our theme, “SkillsUSA: Our Time is Now.”
Within this topic, competitors might illustrate or discuss any of the following:
- The membership theme “SkillsUSA: Our Time is Now” implies that members have both the tools and the confidence to take on further education or employment in their career field. Name three ways that SkillsUSA has prepared you with the tools to enter the workforce?
- How is the SkillsUSA Framework of developing Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics central to the idea of being ready for employment?
- The theme “Our Time is Now” is inclusive of all SkillsUSA members and their collective preparedness and confidence in their skills and abilities. How has your SkillsUSA chapter worked together to ensure that all chapter members are career-ready?
- If asked to create a member recruitment campaign around the theme “Our Time is Now”, what would be your key points?
- How has learning and practicing the SkillsUSA Framework Essential Elements given you confidence in your skill set? Name two Essential Elements that you have practiced during your SkillsUSA membership that are mastered now.
- What activities or learning within your career and technical education program have prepared you to contribute to the workforce, implementing the concepts and the positive confidence exemplified in the theme “SkillsUSA: Our Time is Now”?
- What does the theme “SkillsUSA” Our Time is Now” mean to you?
SkillsUSA Championships Technical Standards
The SkillsUSA Championships technical standards are the official competition guides for the SkillsUSA Championships, and they’ve been newly revised for 2023. The standards feature all the rules for each national competition, including an overview, lists of technical skills and knowledge required, clothing requirements, eligibility, and equipment lists. They also list the embedded academic skills in math, English and science for each competition. Rules for state and local events may vary from the national guidelines, but most state competitive events are modeled after the national technical standards. As a member benefit, SkillsUSA professional members receive the current SkillsUSA Championships Technical Standards when they have submitted a current and accurate email address with their membership details. Join as a professional member here.
Watch this video to learn how to access the technical standards.
Competition Categories
The SkillsUSA competition categories were established based on general eligibility parameters to assist members with identifying how competitions can be matched to student interests and provide career development experiences. The leadership and occupationally related competitions provide SkillsUSA members with the opportunity to demonstrate their SkillsUSA Framework skills that are recognized and valued by industry. The category descriptions are:
- Leadership: In addition to the 16 Career Clusters established for CTE training programs, SkillsUSA has established an additional Leadership Competition Cluster where related skills can be demonstrated in a competitive setting. The leadership competitions are open solely to SkillsUSA members, regardless of their training program area. Therefore, leadership competitions are not listed in any of the national Career Cluster frameworks associated with a comprehensive program area of study.
- Occupationally Related: These competitions represent technical skills that are not unique to any one career cluster and/or training program. Most occupationally related competitions are open to SkillsUSA members enrolled in any career and technical program. Competitions like the Occupation Health and Safety and Related Technical Math are in this category because any CTE program has safety and mathematical components. Another example is Entrepreneurship, where any CTE student interested in opening their own business can enter this event to showcase their business plan. Eligibility does not have to align to the student’s program of study.
- Skilled and Technical: Participants must meet the occupational training program eligibility requirements set forth in each competition description. In this category eligibility is directly aligned to the occupational objectives of the competitor’s program of study.
Resume Requirement
All competitors must create a one-page resume to submit online unless otherwise specified in their competition’s technical standards. Middle school competitors are exempt from the resume requirement. On May 1, 2023, the link for resume submission will be published on this page. At that point, SkillsUSA national competitors should submit their resume by June 1, 2023. Failure to do so will result in a 10-point penalty.
Your resume must be saved as a PDF file type using file name format of “Last Name_First Name.” For example, “Amanda Smith” would save her resume as Smith_Amanda. If you need assistance with saving your file as a PDF, visit the Adobe website for more information.
Professional Development Test Study Guide
Prepare for the state and national Professional Development tests with this study guide. Please note middle school competitors are NOT required to take the Professional Development test as part of their competition.
National competitors that are required to take the professional development test, will complete the test online prior to the National Leadership and Skills Conference. Dates for the online testing window will be published here by May 1.
2022-23 Updates
Demonstration
Commercial Roofing Demonstration 12-1-22
Competitors will install the most commonly used roof type, thermoplastic, on the same mockup used for NRCA’s ProCertification exam. Participants will put on all required safety equipment, roll out a sheet of thermoplastic membrane, mechanically attach it to the deck, flash the perimeter edge wall, and flash around a box and pipe boot. Contest involves a written test, which is the same as the exam for NRCA’s TRAC: Thermoplastic course.
Download the technical standards for this demonstration contest.
Emergency Medical Technician Demonstration 1-20-23
The following update has been released for the Emergency Medical Technician competition:
Facilithon: Leadership in Facility Management 3-9-23
ELIGIBILITY
Open to active SkillsUSA members. Each state may send one high school and one college/postsecondary competitor. Facility management careers involve supporting people, establishing processes, facilities upkeep and improvement, technology integration, all of which requires leadership critical to an organization’s success. Career clusters that are key in this career field include but are not limited to STEM, Architecture and Construction, Manufacturing, Business Management, Health Science, Information Technology, Security, Transportation, etc. Facilithon provides competitors from multiple career pathways with an opportunity to showcase their SkillsUSA Framework skills with a focus on project management and problem solving.
Heavy Equipment Operation Demonstration 1/17/23
ELIGIBILITY
Open to active SkillsUSA members enrolled in programs with heavy equipment operation, operator and/or diesel equipment technology as the occupational objective. Programs of study may include training operators in the use of heavy equipment for engineering and construction projects.
12-1-22
Heavy Equipment Operators are needed on construction sites all over the country now more than ever. Students should have knowledge of equipment operation, day to day maintenance and activities (such as surveying and blueprint reading) on various machines in different applications. The competition will evaluate each contestant’s preparation for employment and recognize outstanding students for excellence and professionalism in the field of Heavy Equipment Operation.
Download the technical standards for this demonstration contest.
Leadership
Chapter Business Procedure 11-4-22
Student teams demonstrate knowledge of parliamentary procedures related to material found in Roberts Rules of Order.
Chapter Display 2-22-23
Reminder a Chapter Display may be designed to be placed at an angle in the display area. It must comply with the minimum and maximum measurements included in the 2023 Technical Standards. The technical chair MUST be shown the front of the display upon completion of setup for measurement purposes. In alignment with the changes made in the 2023 Technical Standards, the following items will be included on the scorecard at the national competition:
- Notebook will contain a detailed description of the purpose of the display.
- Notebook will contain a detailed description of the educational value of the display.
- Design of the display for ease of transportation will be scored.
- Penalty points can be assessed per the 2023 Technical Standards for lack of use of the official SkillsUSA notebook and late submission of the notebook.
Also, national competitors should include on their final page in the notebook a photo that shows both their completed display along with the contestants. This is a new requirement being introduced at the 2023 NLSC and will not be scored until 2024.
Extemporaneous Speaking 11-4-22
The reference materials used in this competition can be found in the SkillsUSA Educational Store which include: SkillsUSA Member Handbook and SkillsUSA Framework Fundamentals Cards: Framework Fundamentals: Teaching Strategies for Essential Elements/TG
Pin Design (State, includes middle school) 11-29-22
The competition is designed to assess the competitor’s ability to design and produce a trading pin concept for their State SkillsUSA association. The inclusion of (State Conference) in the competition name does not require any state conference theme and/or naming requirements it is simply meant to differentiate this competitive event from the NLSC Pin and T-shirt Design Challenge.
Quiz Bowl 2-20-23
Reminder the national quiz bowl competition will be using an Internet-based buzzer system. Competitors must bring their own device per the 2023 technical standards under the section supplied by the competitors: Device (smartphone or tablet) that can connect to the internet to be used as the buzzer. The device must be sufficiently charged for the competition. Charging in the competition room is not available. Review the 2023 National Technical Standards for more information.
T-Shirt Design (State, includes middle school) 12-2-22
The visual presentation will consist of ONLY your printed T-shirt and a design notebook to be submitted in an official SkillsUSA three-ring binder. Any other items including the formerly used tri-fold displays will no longer be allowed. Review the 2023 National Technical Standards for more information.
11-29-22
The competition is designed to assess the competitor’s ability to design and produce a t-shirt concept for their State SkillsUSA association. The competition has moved from requiring a visual presentation on a standard tri-fold table display to creating a professional portfolio (Notebook). The inclusion of (State Conference) in the competition name does not require any state conference theme and/or naming requirements it is simply meant to differentiate this competitive event from the NLSC Pin and T-shirt Design Challenge.
Skilled and Technical
Audio/Radio Production 2-23-2023
The technical committee has provided an update for the national competition:
- Aside from interviews, the only 2 voices “On-Air” should be the team members.
- Students are to fully produce (plan, write, voice, record, edit, render, etc.) up to a four-minute radio production such as a PSA, NPR-style soundscape, sound-rich/NPR-style news story, sound and interview only news story, etc. A 30-second and a 60-second ad spotwill be produced and inserted into the production. The complete production requires students to demonstrate their ability to plan a project that meets a specific prompt and run time; gather, edit and mix a variety of audio sources; and render the completed project to a specified audio file.
- Editing the final project needs to be done 100% in the SkillsUSA Audio/Radio Production contest area.
Automated Manufacturing Technology 12-14-22
The technical committee has provided an update on the number of computers and the specific software needed for national competitors.
Supplied by the competitors:
NOTE: Computers must be preloaded with the CAD, CAM and CNCMotion software and competitors must have administrative rights to the computers to implement changes if required. No Internet access is allowed so offline, pre-installed and tested software is a requirement.
Automotive Refinishing Technology 2-21-23
The following update has been released for the Automotive Refinishing Technology competition:
2-14-23
The following update has been released for the Automotive Refinishing Technology competition:
2-10-23
The following update has been released for the Automotive Refinishing Technology competition:
2-3-23
The following update has been released for the Automotive Refinishing Technology competition:
Barbering 2-28-2023
The technical committee has provided the following updates:
- New: Portfolio is being introduced in 2023 as a demonstration standard and is a non-scored component of the competition. The purpose of the portfolio is to provide another means for the interviewers to learn about the competitor (potential employee). The portfolio should be created as a final product to be used in applying for future employment. Review the 2023 National Technical Standards for more information. The portfolio standard will be added to the scorecard for NLSC 2024.
- Knowledge Performance: The national competition will not include a written test on general barbering knowledge at the 2023 NLSC. The technical committee has determined they will remove this performance skill at the national level to avoid any potential conflicts from the various state regulations in this industry. Competitors are required to take the SkillsUSA professional development test.
Criminal Justice 1-18-23
The following update has been released for the Criminal Justice competition:
Crime Scene Investigation1-18-23
The following update has been released for the Crime Scene Investigation competition:
Cyber Security 11-17-22
The Combined Component Workbench listed under supplied by the competitor section is the: Connected Components Workbench from Rockwell International.
Digital Cinema 1-3-23
Update to national competition pre-conference video submission requirement: The final deliverable of the competition that will be judged will be a short film (up to five minutes including the credits). The short film will be developed, filmed and edited during the predetermined timeline of the competition which will be given prior to the commencement of the competition. The development, pre-production, production and post-production portions of the competition will all be completed and turned in prior to the SkillsUSA national conference. All competitors will be notified or asked to attend a briefing prior to the commencement of the competition wherein they will receive specific instructions as to the details and duration that will be allowed for the completion of the short film.
A notification for how to attend this national competition briefing virtually will be published here on May 17, 2023. This competition briefing (Date TBD) is where the instructions for the national video prompt and submission requirement details will be announced to the national competitors.
Esthetics 10-6-22
The 2023 Esthetics competition theme is “Fairy Tale.”
Firefighting 1-25-23
The following update has been released for the Firefighting competition:
Mobile Electronics Installation 2-10-23
The technical committee has provided an update about accessing an online study guide for the written test for national competitors. A notification will be sent on June 1st to the email provided in each national competitor’s registration, as well as copying their advisor and state director. This email will provide the competitor with a unique access code for the study guide to prepare for the national written test.
Mobile Robotics Technology 11-17-22
The game manuals for the 2023 Mobile Robotics Technology competition are available below:
Nail Care 2-23-2023
The technical committee has provided an update for national competitors skill performance time limits: three to five minutes for oral presentation, 45 minutes for pedicure, two hours for acrylic/tips and light-cured enhancement application, 30 minutes for written examination, and 90 minutes for polish and flat nail art applications. All segments of work must be completed in the specified time during national competition. (For example, during the acrylic/tip and light-cured enhancement segment, no work may be completed or started on the nail art or polish application.)
11-29-22
Update to submission details for the nail art photo required under the supplied by the competitor: Competitors should bring a digital photo of nail art to be created during the competition saved on a USB flash drive. The photo may include props. Note: Due at competition check-in.
An online submission for contestant’s nail art photo is being introduced in the 2023 competition for full adoption into the technical standards in 2024. Please note there is no penalty for submitting the nail art photo online in 2023, all entries will be accepted on-site in Atlanta. SkillsUSA national competitors should submit their nail art photo at the same time as their resume online. All online submissions must be made by June 1. The submission link for the resume and nail art photo will be published on http://updates.skillsusa.org on May 1.
Robotics: Urban Search and Rescue 3-17-23
Robotics: USAR Webinar
Join us for an exclusive webinar to get the scoop on what to expect during this year’s national competition. At Pitsco Education, it’s our goal to provide competitors with an engaging and meaningful competition at the SkillsUSA Championships. As part of this goal, we are offering a webinar to discuss the updated competition rules, the added elements to the challenge, and the refreshed main playing field found in the Robotics: Urban Search and Rescue Challenge Guide 2023 published on 11-23-22 below. A link to the webinar recording will also be published here for those who cannot join the live session on March 29.
Webinar Date and Time
- March 29, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. CT
Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1bs4x31BSvG1uWpF4wp1wQ
11-23-22
The 2023 challenge guidelines are available for download here:
