(Syracuse, NY – April 20, 2014) The New York Association of SkillsUSA will host the New York State Leadership Conference and Skills Championships April 23 to 25 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.
The state convention showcases the skills of vocational students and their instructors. More than 2,400 students from 83 trade and technical schools in New York will be competing in 81 trade and leadership contests. Students and their advisors will join over 1,000 industry and education partners from across New York State participating as industry advisory members, contest chairs and judges for the skills contests. They will provide over half a million dollars of support through their partnerships with SkillsUSA.
There will be skill contests, including: Automotive Technology, Auto Collision Repair, Carpentry, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Electronics Repair, and Health Care. In addition, students will be competing in Public Speaking, Job Demonstrations, Job Interviews and other contests related to their course of study.
The Opening Session will take place at the Center of Progress from 7 to 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23.
The contests will begin on Thursday, April 24 at 7:30 a.m. and take place in the Center of Progress, Art & Home, Horticulture and Dairy Buildings at the New York State Fairgrounds. Contest sites will be open to the public at 9 a.m. and will continue throughout the afternoon.
More than a quarter of a million dollars in scholarships and tools will be awarded to student winners at the awards ceremony at 9 a.m. April 25 at the Center of Progress Building.
“It’s amazing to see thousands of students from across the state gathered in one place, showing off their skills,” said Conference Coordinator Katrina Fiorenza. “We are also excited to announce that a representative from Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office will join us for the conference on Thursday.”
This year, the New York Association of SkillsUSA received a Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation Grant to support the state level construction trades competitive event, Teamworks. The state event requires a team of four to build a joint project in six hours, demonstrating their preparation for employment in residential construction.
The Lowe’s Corporation is helping to address the country’s growing skilled worker shortage and skills gap by contributing $1.5 million to SkillsUSA programs this year.
SkillsUSA Director Bruce Potter said the prosperity of the state and nation rests upon the skills of workers and citizens. He feels the SkillsUSA New York Association is helping students to become “Champions at Work.”
“This assures that our state and nation will have highly skilled workers in the future,” Potter said. “It is fitting that recognition is given to the young people in this organization who represent competent and forward thinking technical, trade and health leaders in the future.”
SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization of over 310,000 members serving career and technical students enrolled in public high school and postsecondary trade, technical and health occupation programs. The organization helps high school and college students enrolled in career and technical programs to excel by teaching employable skills such as communication, problem-solving and leadership (in conjunction with their trade), technical and service occupations skills.
More than 10,000 students are members of the New York Secondary SkillsUSA Association, a chartered affiliate of the national organization. In the central New York area, there are active SkillsUSA chapters at OCM BOCES, Oswego BOCES, Cayuga Onondaga BOCES, Madison Oneida BOCES, Jefferson Lewis BOCES and Syracuse Institute of Technology.
The career and technical programs offered by schools and colleges in conjunction with the SkillsUSA program, teach academic, occupational and professional skills; which shape high school and postsecondary students into world-class workers and responsible citizens. Through SkillsUSA, students are introduced to the corporate quality culture, which emphasizes the dignity of work, high standards in trade ethics and workmanship, life-long learning and job safety. Community service, patriotism and an understanding of the free enterprise system are also core elements of SkillsUSA.
Thanks to the support of businesses in New York, SkillsUSA is able to hold contests that will prepare New York students to compete favorably at the National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, June 23 -28.
For more information, contact SkillsUSA Conference Coordinator Katrina Fiorenza at (315) 794-0381.