SkillsUSA National Signing Day Will Celebrate Skilled Trades Nationwide on May 5

Published: April 19, 2022
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Event to acknowledge, honor and encourage SkillsUSA students pursuing a career in the skilled trades

Leesburg, Va. — On May 5, SkillsUSA National Signing Day will celebrate career and technical education students in hundreds of SkillsUSA chapters across the country for their dedication to pursue a career in the skilled trades. On National Signing Day, students will be recognized by their school administrators, teachers, elected officials, SkillsUSA advisors, family and friends for deciding to pursue a career in the skilled trades, a sector in high demand that continues to face an immense labor shortage. In a style reminiscent of signing day events where high school student athletes commit to a specific college, students will be applauded as they announce their career plans while signing “letters of intent” for a job offer, apprenticeship or advanced technical training. More than 800 students in SkillsUSA schools representing 32 states and two territories are registered to participate in the 2022 event. “SkillsUSA’s National Signing Day salutes students who express their commitment to a fulfilling and rewarding career in the skilled trades,” says SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis. “SkillsUSA National Signing Day is generating greater awareness that the skilled trades offer rewarding career paths. SkillsUSA is committed to strengthening the skilled workforce by empowering the next generation of workers to enter the trades. Our organization can help close the skills gap while presenting robust career opportunities for future employees who enjoy challenging work that offers stability and long-term benefits.” Learn more about SkillsUSA National Signing Day here, and watch for our post-event coverage in the days and weeks that follow.

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen our nation’s skilled workforce. Driven by employer demand, SkillsUSA helps students develop necessary personal and workplace skills along with technical skills grounded in academics. This SkillsUSA Framework empowers every student to succeed at work and in life, while helping to close the skills gap in which millions of positions go unfilled. Through SkillsUSA’s championships program and curricula, employers have long ensured schools are teaching relevant technical skills, and with SkillsUSA’s credentialing process, they can assess how ready potential employees are for the job. SkillsUSA has members nationwide in high schools, colleges and middle schools, covering over 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and is recognized by the U.S. departments of Education and Labor as integral to career and technical education. We have served more than 14 million members since 1965. For more information: www.skillsusa.org. SkillsUSA Contacts Jane Short or Karen Kitzel 703-777-8810 jshort@skillsusa.org or kkitzel@skillsusa.org

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Media Contacts

For more information about SkillsUSA, contact:

Jane A. DeShong Short

Senior Manager, Public Relations/Communications
703-737-0612

Karen Kitzel

Associate Director, Communications
703-737-0607

Helpful Links

SkillsUSA Advocacy Site

The SkillsUSA Advocacy Site is a free service for SkillsUSA members to reach the news media or contact policymakers with your message.

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