How to Join

Learn How to Join or Start a SkillsUSA Chapter

If you are enrolled in a career and technical education (CTE) program of study or career cluster and are interested in joining SkillsUSA, please speak with your CTE teacher or school counselor to see if your school currently has a SkillsUSA chapter. If your school doesn’t have a chapter, have your teacher or counselor reach out to SkillsUSA’s Customer Care Team at 844-875-4557 or customercare@skillsusa.org for information on starting one.

If you are new to SkillsUSA and are interested in starting a chapter, refer to the section below on steps to Start a Chapter. If you already have a chapter established at your school and you are ready to join as a professional (teacher) member, simply follow the step-by-step instructions in our Membership Quick Start and Access Guide. For a comprehensive list of state dues, conference dates, contact information and more, download the 2023-24 State Dues and Deadlines document. Reach out to SkillsUSA’s Customer Care Team at 844-875-4557 or customercare@skillsusa.org if you need help or have further questions.

To join as a professional member NOT associated with a school or state organization, please complete this online form. Credit card payment is required at the time of submission for the membership to be official.

The SkillsUSA Total Participation Plan (TPP) allows eligible students who are enrolled in technical, skilled and service occupations, including health occupations, to participate in SkillsUSA as an integral part of their education. That means your entire classroom, school or school district can join SkillsUSA on a single plan that covers national dues, state dues and employability skills training materials for students.

Through use of Total Participation Plan, students are provided the opportunity to develop SkillsUSA Framework skills that encompass the necessary personal, workplace and technical skills needed for career readiness. Your affiliation through the Total Participation Plan means you’ve made a commitment to SkillsUSA to integrate Career Essentials: Experiences, Career Essentials: Assessments, and/or educational resources into your classroom.

Use this plan if your school is a high school, middle school or your district has a combination of both or a combination of high school and college/postsecondary students.

The SkillsUSA Career Essentials suite includes products that ensure students have the foundational skills, attitudes and values to distinguish them from other applicants in the skilled labor marketplace. Once on the job, students will be productive and promotable. The SkillsUSA Career Essentials suite is the solution to producing career-ready graduates who are prepared to face the 21st-century demands of employers. To learn more about the SkillsUSA Career Essentials suite of products, visit: www.careeressentials.org

TPP is available to local schools only by approval from their state association director. Verify your state participation here.

Total Participation Plan Affiliation and Pricing

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The SkillsUSA Campus Affiliation Plan allows eligible students who are enrolled in technical, skilled and service occupations, including health occupations, to participate in SkillsUSA as an integral part of their education. Under this program, community colleges, technical colleges and adult programs can affiliate as one or combine campus locations together onto one contract. All students enrolled in a technical program that SkillsUSA services must enroll and register under the Affiliation Plan.

This allows the maximum number of students to participate in all SkillsUSA activities. By having the campus join as a whole, it may be possible for schools to use alternate funding sources for the program, such as student activity fees or Perkins funding (as determined and allowed by state department of education and local school policy). The program philosophy is based on running a SkillsUSA program that benefits all students through the development of leadership and employability skills.

Institutions with college students are only eligible to use this plan. If your campus or district has a combination of college and high school students use the Total Participation Plan for high schools.

The Campus Affiliation Plan is available to institutions only by approval from their state association director. Verify your state participation here.

Campus Affiliation with Pricing and Deadlines

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Start a Chapter

If there’s no SkillsUSA chapter in your school, we are here to help you start one! Starting a SkillsUSA chapter will spark a legacy of life-changing moments for students and teachers alike. Follow the steps below to get started:

  • Meet with your school administrator to request permission to start a new program and to gain support for the SkillsUSA chapter.
  • Connect with SkillsUSA’s Customer Care Team at 844-875-4557 or customercare@skillsusa.org, or submit a request that your school be added to the registration site using our Request New School for SkillsUSA Membership form. A Customer Care Team member will assist you in getting your new chapter started. Team members will be able to send you a New Chapter Kit and ensure that all your questions are answered.
  • Contact your SkillsUSA state association office and request to be placed on the state mailing list to learn about any upcoming activities or deadlines. If you are starting a new chapter, complete an application for charter and submit to your state office.
  • Identify one or more possible SkillsUSA leaders (technical instructors, a career counselor or another interested person within the school) to help with the new chapter.
  • Gain support from other faculty members if you plan to involve students from other training programs.
  • Explain SkillsUSA to members of the industry advisory council that supports your program, and ask them for support and involvement as the chapter develops by serving as guest speakers, contest judges, etc.

Contact Your State Association Director

State associations are operated independently from the national office. Contacting your state or territorial SkillsUSA association director can ensure that you have the latest resources and dates available for your state. View our directory for specific contact information (including your SkillsUSA association’s website address) related to your state or territory.