Skip to main content

Alumni, Friends, and Professional Membership

SkillsUSA Alumni Banner

Alumni & Friends

Your SkillsUSA Story Does Not End at Graduation

SkillsUSA Tennessee College/Postsecondary alumni, professionals, and friends can stay connected, serve students, share industry expertise, and help build the next generation of skilled professionals across Tennessee. Note: Membership must be renewed annually.

Stay Connected

Turn Your Experience Into Opportunity for Others

Alumni understand the confidence, technical growth, leadership development, friendships, and career opportunities that SkillsUSA can create. Staying involved allows you to use that experience to support students, advisors, colleges, technical programs, employers, and communities.

You do not have to be a former Tennessee member to participate. Former SkillsUSA members from across the nation who now live or work in Tennessee, along with professionals and supporters who believe in the mission, are invited to connect with SkillsUSA Tennessee College/Postsecondary.

Free National Membership

Who Can Join Alumni, Friends, & Professionals?

The SkillsUSA Alumni & Friends Association welcomes former members, professionals, educators, industry representatives, family members, and other supporters who want to contribute time, talent, expertise, or resources to SkillsUSA.

National Alumni & Friends membership is free. Registration places you in the alumni system so you can remain connected and receive information about future opportunities.

Ways to Serve

Choose the Role That Fits Your Experience

Alumni and professional members can serve at the local, state, and national levels. The level of involvement depends on your interests, availability, location, and professional expertise.

Competition Support

Serve as a Judge

Evaluate student work, provide professional feedback, and help maintain the quality and credibility of SkillsUSA Championships events.

Technical Leadership

Serve as a Technical Chair

Help plan and manage a competition, recruit judges, review technical standards, coordinate materials, and support contest operations.

Conference Service

Volunteer at Events

Support registration, student programming, conference operations, ceremonies, hospitality, awards, logistics, and other event needs.

Student Development

Mentor Students

Share career advice, support student leadership, help students prepare for employment, and encourage members as they move into the workforce.

Industry Connection

Speak or Present

Provide workforce insight, technical demonstrations, career information, interview preparation, or professional development for students and advisors.

Workforce Opportunity

Connect Students to Careers

Share internships, apprenticeships, job openings, workplace tours, work-based learning opportunities, and professional connections.

Chapter Support

Assist a Local Chapter

Help advisors with chapter activities, student recruitment, community service, fundraising, planning, and implementation of the chapter Program of Work.

Program Leadership

Serve on an Advisory Committee

Bring employer and alumni perspectives to local technical programs, curriculum discussions, equipment planning, and workforce alignment.

Storytelling

Share Your SkillsUSA Story

Help current students see where SkillsUSA can lead by sharing your education, career journey, leadership experience, and professional accomplishments.

Support Where It Matters Most

Alumni Strengthen Local Chapters

Running a strong local SkillsUSA chapter requires time, planning, industry relationships, student support, and consistent energy. Instructors and advisors balance those responsibilities with teaching, accreditation, technology changes, workforce expectations, student needs, and program administration.

A dependable alumni volunteer can make a meaningful difference. Alumni know the challenges of organizing chapter activities and often return with new career experience, professional contacts, and practical insight that can strengthen the program they once attended.

Advisory committee member Guest speaker Job placement connection Mock interview volunteer Chapter activity mentor Fundraising supporter Community service partner Competition preparation coach

Building the Tennessee Network

Tennessee College/Postsecondary Alumni & Friends Association

SkillsUSA Tennessee College/Postsecondary is working to establish a stronger alumni and friends network for college and technical education graduates, former state officers, industry professionals, retired instructors, technical chairs, judges, volunteers, and supporters.

Purpose Under Development

The developing association is intended to connect alumni with service, leadership, volunteer, industry engagement, scholarship, community service, and student support opportunities across Tennessee.

Proposed bylaws outline a mission centered on supporting SkillsUSA educational programs, engaging alumni and business and industry leaders, strengthening technical and skilled occupations, and creating a sustainable structure for alumni leadership.

Current Status: The Tennessee College/Postsecondary alumni association structure, bylaws, leadership roles, and code of conduct are proposed and remain under development. They should not be presented as formally adopted until the approval process is complete.

Proposed Leadership Structure

Organizing Alumni for Long-Term Service

The proposed bylaws describe a volunteer Board of Directors supported by appointed advisors and organized around governance, membership, communication, finance, service, and statewide engagement.

Board Leadership

President and Vice President

Lead meetings, coordinate committees, communicate with members, support advisors, delegate work, and help guide the association’s direction.

Records and Operations

Secretary

Maintain minutes, agendas, governance documents, meeting records, organizational files, and formal documentation.

Financial Stewardship

Treasurer

Support budgeting, financial records, fundraising, receipts, reports, and responsible management of association resources.

Engagement

Marketing and Membership

Build the alumni roster, support national registration, communicate with members, document activities, share alumni stories, and promote opportunities.

Statewide Voice

Members at Large

Support membership growth, fundraising, alumni outreach, schools, conferences, events, and special projects.

Standing Committees

Focused Service Teams

Proposed committees include governance, fundraising, community service, scholarships, and other special committees created to meet identified needs.

Proposed Code of Conduct

Serve With Professionalism

Alumni volunteers work directly with students, advisors, institutional leaders, employers, conference guests, and other volunteers. Their conduct should reflect the values and expectations of SkillsUSA Tennessee College/Postsecondary.

1

Be Prepared

Arrive on time, understand your assignment, and keep your commitments.

2

Be Respectful

Treat students, advisors, staff, volunteers, partners, and peers appropriately.

3

Be Trustworthy

Be honest about what you can do and follow through on what you accept.

4

Bring a Can-Do Attitude

Recognize that every assignment contributes to the student experience.

5

Protect Students and Boundaries

Maintain appropriate conduct, professional boundaries, and awareness of surroundings.

6

Respect Property and Facilities

Care for hotels, venues, equipment, supplies, and SkillsUSA property.

7

Model Positive Leadership

Let your language, attitude, and actions provide a strong example for students.

8

Take Care of Yourself and Others

Rest, eat, communicate needs, and support the wellbeing of the team.

9

Work as a Team

Use the knowledge, experience, and strengths of fellow alumni volunteers.

The complete Code of Conduct remains proposed and may be revised as the Tennessee College/Postsecondary alumni association is established.

Alumni Resources

Connect Locally, Statewide, and Nationally

Use these resources to register, explore volunteer opportunities, follow national alumni news, and connect with the broader SkillsUSA Tennessee alumni community.

Help Build the Network

Connect With Tennessee College/Postsecondary Alumni Leadership

Lance Meyers is currently serving as the contact for efforts to establish the SkillsUSA Tennessee College/Postsecondary Alumni & Friends Association. Alumni, former officers, volunteers, technical chairs, industry professionals, and supporters who want to help shape the network are encouraged to connect.

Come Back and Lead

The Next Generation Needs What You Know

Alumni bring credibility, perspective, technical knowledge, professional networks, and firsthand understanding of the SkillsUSA experience. Your involvement can help a student find confidence, prepare for a career, discover an opportunity, or see a future they had not yet imagined.