NRCA recently joined SkillsUSA members nationwide who participated in 12 industry discussion panels as a professional development activity. The trade-specific discussions were hosted by SkillsUSA and held via Zoom to help their students and teachers stay motivated and focused on future career paths during this unusual school year, which for many students is hybrid or virtual.
On Nov. 18, more than 500 students at SkillsUSA schools nationwide participated in one of 12 simultaneous discussions—organized by career cluster—including architecture and construction, information technology, manufacturing, STEM and transportation.
The discussions connected members with business and industry panelists. Teachers and students gained useful insight and information about the industries they are entering. After a general overview, groups of students broke into smaller groups organized by career cluster for panel discussions that provided industry overviews, as well as opportunities to ask questions; learn about trends, job outlooks and education needed for specific careers; and connect with successful industry role models.
“This collaboration offers our members the information they need at a pivotal time in the career path decision-making process,” said Chelle Travis, executive director of SkillsUSA. “This program is especially exciting as we entered the 2020-2021 school year in the context of a global pandemic that has affected education at over 4,000 SkillsUSA schools nationwide. We are so impressed with our students as they strive to move forward with their education; many will graduate and our goal is to ensure they are career-ready. We thank our industry partners who are always willing to step up and support student learning through our programs.”
For more information, contact Alison LaValley, NRCA’s vice president of strategic partnerships and development, at alavalley@nrca.net.
