The SkillsUSA Framework is the foundation for everything we do. It defines the personal, workplace, and technical skills students need to succeed in education, the workplace, and life. Every competition, leadership activity, chapter experience, and industry engagement opportunity is designed to help students develop these essential skills.

Personal Skills

Integrity, professionalism, responsibility, adaptability/flexibility, self-motivation, and work ethic.

Workplace Skills

Communication, teamwork, leadership, planning, decision making, and service orientation.

Technical Skills

Job-specific skills, computer and technology literacy, safety and health, service orientation, and professional development.

Why Employers Value the SkillsUSA Framework

Employers consistently identify professionalism, communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving as essential workplace skills. The SkillsUSA Framework helps students develop these skills alongside their technical training.

Preparing Tennessee's Workforce

SkillsUSA Tennessee Postsecondary connects classroom learning with workforce expectations. Through chapter activities, competitions, leadership development, Pathful experiences, and industry partnerships, students practice the skills employers expect in today's workplace.

Essential Elements of the Framework

The SkillsUSA Framework is built on 17 Essential Elements that help students become career-ready professionals. These elements are developed through classroom learning, chapter activities, leadership experiences, and competition participation, helping students build the personal, workplace, and technical skills valued by employers.

Experience the Framework in Action

The SkillsUSA Framework is developed through competitions, leadership activities, chapter participation, Pathful experiences, and real-world industry engagement.

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