Join the “Trades Stars” Campaign From the Lowe’s Foundation!

Published: April 24, 2024

This National Signing Day, celebrate your Trades Stars with their own “Blue Carpet” moment! SkillsUSA and the Lowe’s Foundation are partnering to launch Trades Stars, a national campaign that celebrates our students who are committing to skilled trades career pathways or post-secondary education in the trades. We want all our students to feel like stars!

Introducing the “Blue Carpet Experience” — a special way to highlight our students and make them the stars of National Signing Day! There are a number of ways that you can join us in celebrating our incredible students:

Ways to participate

Use the “content capture kit” below to record and share stories, interviews or profiles of each student and what makes them a Trades Star.
Pose with the props available in the SkillsUSA toolkit.
Conduct “blue carpet” interviews with your Trades Stars, their supporters and their teachers to share their stories.
Post on social media with the hashtags #TradesStars, #SkillsUSANationalSigningDay, and tag @SkillsUSA and @LowesFoundation.

Content Capture Kit

Click the arrows below to explore the Content Capture Kit:

Take high-resolution photos of the individual(s), including photos of them in action and close-ups
If the photo is being taken on a phone, hold the device vertically to get a clear, full-length image for social media
Look for ideal lighting (natural light, indoor lights) and avoid using a flash
Use simple or plain backgrounds to emphasize the focus on your subject. It’s also important to ensure that there are no other individuals in the background who have not signed our photo release wavier
Look your subject in the eye to help build a connection between the subject and the viewer

Backdrop (Tip: Use simple or plain backgrounds to focus on the subject)
Photo and Video Cameras (Anything from a camera phone to a professional photographer will work)
Blue carpet or runner
Music
Tokens of appreciation
Signing table with documents and pens
Balloons/decorations
Event swag from Lowes and SkillsUSA
Light snacks and refreshments

Photographer to take pictures of Trades Stars
Interviewer

Can you please share your name, your age and the name of the program you’re in?
Please tell me about your background. What was your first exposure to skilled trades?
What made you feel like skilled trades would be a promising career path for you?
Why did you choose the program you’re in/entering?
What are you hoping to get from your chosen program/education?
Fast forward three years, what do you think your life will be like, given the skilled trades path you’re pushing?
What do you imagine your life will be like 20 years from now?
If you could say one thing to a friend who might be thinking about a career in the trades, what would you say?

Can you please share your name and which student you are supporting?
What program/career pathway is [student’s name] pursuing?
How did you support [student’s name] as they decided to pursue this career?
What makes you most excited when you think about this next chapter for [student’s name]?
What do you hope this next chapter brings for [student’s name]?
Is there any advice you would like to give to [student’s name]?

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For more information about SkillsUSA, contact:

Jane A. DeShong Short

Senior Manager, Public Relations/Communications

703-737-0612

Karen Kitzel

Associate Director, Communications

703-737-0607

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