SkillsUSA Terms and Definitions
The following are frequently used Tennessee SkillsUSA terms, definitions, and acronyms. The acronyms
are listed first, in alphabetical order. The terms and definitions are then listed alphabetically within the
following categories:
1. SkillsUSA Organizational Terms
2. SkillsUSA Competitive Event Terms
3. SkillsUSA Conference Terms
ACT
ACTE
CEP
CRC
CTE
CTSO
DECA
FBLA
FCCLA
FFA
FLC
HOSA
HS
HSTW
IDEA
IEP
IT
LEA
MS
NASSP
NLSC
PD
PDP
PLTW
POW
QPI
SAT
SkillsUSA
SLSC
SOLT
STEM
TDOE
TSA
SkillsUSA Acronym Glossary
American College Testing
Association for Career and Technical Education
Chapter Excellence Program
Career Readiness Curriculum
Career and Technical Education
Career and Technical Student Organization
DECA
Future Business Leaders of America
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America
The National FFA Organization
Fall Leadership Conference
HOSA – Future Health Professionals
High School
High Schools That Work
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Individualized Education Program
Information Technology
Local Educational Agency
Middle School
National Association of Secondary School Principals
National Leadership and Skills Conference
Professional Development
Professional Development Program
Project Lead the Way
Program of Work
Quality Program Indicators
Scholastic Aptitude Test
SkillsUSA
State Leadership and Skills Conference
State Officer Leadership Training (state officers only)
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Tennessee Department of Education
Technology Student Association
TSL
WBL
YCGS
Tennessee Standards for Literacy
Work-Based Learning
Youth, Citizenship, and Government Seminar (state officers only)
SkillsUSA Organizational Terms
Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) – Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO)
refers to an organization for students enrolled in a Career and Technical Education program. SkillsUSA is
the aligned CTSO for courses within the Architecture and Construction; Arts, A/V Technology, and
Communications; Government and Public Administration; Hospitality and Tourism; Information and
Technology; Human Services; Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security; Manufacturing; STEM; and
Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics career clusters.
Career Cluster - There are 16 career clusters, each representing a distinct grouping of careers and
industries based on the knowledge and skills they require. SkillsUSA supports ten (10) career clusters:
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Architecture & Construction
Arts, A/V Technology & Communications
Government & Public Administration
Hospitality & Tourism (Culinary Arts POS)
Human Services (Cosmetology and Barbering POS)
Information Technology
Law, Public Safety, Corrections, & Security
Manufacturing
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics)
Transportation, Distribution, & Logistics
Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act - The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Act,
(Perkins) was reauthorized in 2006. The purpose of Perkins is to provide individuals with the academic
and technical skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-and skills-based economy through career and
technical education. Perkins also focuses on documenting the rigor of academic and technical courses,
improving curriculum alignment among secondary and postsecondary schools, and streamlining the
transition process for students moving from one level to another.
Chapter - A Chapter shall be defined as members in a single school enrolled in career and technical and
health occupations programs. A chapter shall be composed of one or more sections. A section shall be
defined as members in a single career and technical or health occupations program having: a faculty
member serving as an advisor and a planned calendar of activities. Each section must have at least seven
(7) members or one hundred percent (100%) of its class enrollment. All members must be members of
both Tennessee SkillsUSA and National SkillsUSA.
Chapter Advisor - Teachers certified and endorsed in career and technical education, as determined by
the state department of education, can serve as chapter advisors.
Chapter Members - The types of members within chapters shall be:
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Active Membership: Students enrolled in career and technical programs offered in career and
technical and health occupations education.
Associate Membership: Cooperative employers, and/or training station sponsors, advisory
council members, and lay persons associated with the contributing to the improvement and
development of the organization and career and technical and health occupations education.
They are not eligible to hold office or vote.
Professional Membership: Persons associated with or participating in the professional
development of SkillsUSA as approved by Tennessee SkillsUSA. Such members shall include
chapter advisors, teacher educators, and supervisors. Professional members must pay dues as
established by SkillsUSA, but members will be ineligible to serve as national voting delegates,
hold national office, or otherwise represent Tennessee SkillsUSA.
Honorary Life Members: Individuals who have made significant contributions to the
development of SkillsUSA and career and technical and health occupations education whose
membership has been approved by the Executive Council. Such membership shall not be
required payment of state dues. Tennessee SkillsUSA shall purchase National SkillsUSA services
for State Honorary members.
Alumni Members: Former active members of local chapters. Such members will pay dues as
established by Tennessee SkillsUSA.
Programs of Study – Sequenced, industry-aligned, and rigorous courses in each career cluster meant to
provide a relevant framework which progress a student in knowledge and skills year over year.
State Officers - The state association shall have no more than eight elected state officers representing
the membership at large who shall be members of the state executive council. The eight officers shall
elect from their ranks: President, Regional Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, and
Reporter. Those elected shall assume office at the close of the state meeting.
SkillsUSA Competitive Event Terms
Championships – SkillsUSA’s competitive events. The philosophy of the championships is to reward
students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep
training relevant to employers’ needs. These competitions take place at the local chapter, regional,
state, and national levels.
Leadership Development Events - These events provide an opportunity for leaders to showcase
leadership skills developed by involvement in SkillsUSA. Events include Prepared Speech,
Extemporaneous Speaking, Chapter Display, Job Demo A, Job Demo O, and many more.
Occupationally Related Events – These events encourage students to use the occupational skills
developed in their programs of study. These contests include Career Pathways Showcase, Customer
Service, and Entrepreneurship.
Skilled and Technical Sciences Events – Events that focus on a particular skill set and allow students to
showcase their abilities in a particular career path. Examples include Automotive Service Technology,
Culinary Arts, Carpentry, Cosmetology, Broadcast News Production, and Welding.
Technical Standards – Official rules and guidelines from which all SkillsUSA championships are based.
Each technical standard includes the required skills needed, clothing requirements, equipment, and
performance indicators that each student will need in order to be successful in the competition.
SkillsUSA Conference Terms
Regional Championships – Four geographic regions in Tennessee (West, Middle, East, Upper East)
conduct their own area competition where students from that area compete to qualify for the
Tennessee SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference (SLC). Not all contests are held at the
regional championships. For a complete listing, please visit
http://site1.tnskillsusa.com/competition/2014-15-competition-information/.
Fall Leadership Conference – Leadership conferences held in each geographic region of Tennessee that
is open to all SkillsUSA members and potential members. The Fall Leadership Conferences offer
opportunities to network with members from the other Tennessee CTSOs and gain valuable leadership
skills through professional development that can be used in local chapters.
Leadership Camp - An annual event open to all Tennessee SkillsUSA members and potential members.
The Leadership Camp provides opportunities for students to develop skills related to the focuses and
goals of the state officers, general teambuilding, and leadership training.
National Conference Qualifier - The gold medal winner/team in each event from the State Leadership
and Skills Conference advance to the National Leadership and Skills Conference.
National Leadership and Skills Conference - The SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference is a
five day event where more than 16,000 SkillsUSA members from across the nation compete in the
national SkillsUSA championships, attend professional development, attend general sessions, network,
and celebrate the accomplishments of their chapters .
State Conference Qualifier – The top four* competitors/teams in each event and category from each
district advance to the State Leadership Conference. *Some contests take only the top two
competitors/teams. Please visit http://site1.tnskillsusa.com/competition/2014-15-competitioninformation/ for more information
State Conference Voting Delegate - Affiliated chapters are entitled to send official delegates to the
annual state meeting to vote on all questions before the delegation and for state officer candidates. The
number of official delegates allowed each chapter is determined by the membership of the chapter.
State Leadership and Skills Conference - The Tennessee SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills
Conference is a three day event where more than 1,500 SkillsUSA members from across Tennessee
compete in SkillsUSA championships, attend professional development, attend general sessions,
network, and celebrate the accomplishments of their chapters .