Our next update will be posted on or before Nov. 15, 2023
Nov. 1, 2023 Update
Please continue reading for the most up-to-date regional conferences information. Thank you for your patience as we work towards offering and hosting regional competitions for the first time in five years!
Important Dates and Deadlines:
Dec. 10, 2023 | Membership Registration Deadline to be Eligible to Attend Regional Conferences
Dec. 11, 2023 | Registration Open
Dec. 15, 2023 | Registration Closes
Jan. 15, 2024 | Payment Due
Jan. 15, 2024 | Chapter Certification Form Due
Regional Locations and Dates:
Regional Coordinators:
We are in need of Regional Coordinators! Regional Coordinator descriptions can be found here. Interested parties can apply here by Nov. 1, 2023. This is a contracted position with a stipend.
Cost:
High School Competitions Offered at the 2024 Regional Conferences:
Future Updates:
Please contact SkillsUSA.Tennessee@tn.gov with any questions.
Important Dates and Deadlines:
Dec. 10, 2023 | Membership Registration Deadline to be Eligible to Attend Regional Conferences
Dec. 11, 2023 | Registration Open
Dec. 15, 2023 | Registration Closes
Jan. 15, 2024 | Payment Due
Jan. 15, 2024 | Chapter Certification Form Due
Regional Locations and Dates:
- West - Confirmed TCAT Memphis for Feb. 5, 2024
- Midwest - Confirmed TCAT Nashville for Feb. 6, 2024
- Middle - Confirmed TCAT Hartsville for Feb. 7, 2024
- East - Confirmed TCAT Knoxville for Feb. 8, 2024
- Upper East - Confirmed Northeast State for Feb. 9, 2024
- Click here to view the 2024 and 2025 region map
Regional Coordinators:
We are in need of Regional Coordinators! Regional Coordinator descriptions can be found here. Interested parties can apply here by Nov. 1, 2023. This is a contracted position with a stipend.
Cost:
- Student Competitors $25
- Advisor Chaperones $10
- No observers will be allowed to attend due to space constraints
High School Competitions Offered at the 2024 Regional Conferences:
- Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair
- Automotive Service Technician
- Carpentry
- Cosmetology
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Welding
- Welding Fabrication
Future Updates:
- Nov. 15, 2023 - Release the Conference Guide with registration information, payment information, required forms, and the number of qualifier bids per competition distributed by region
Please contact SkillsUSA.Tennessee@tn.gov with any questions.
Oct. 15, 2023 Update
We have made some progress in our planning. A big factor in making regional conferences happen is securing venues and competition support. We are working with the Postsecondary State Director, Daphne Brown, and the Tennessee Board of Regents to use various Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) campuses. Many have expressed interest and we are waiting on a few to confirm their availability. Please see the updates below.
Regional Locations and Dates:
Regional Coordinators:
Now that we have regions established, we are in need of Regional Coordinators! Regional Coordinator descriptions can be found here. Interested parties can apply here by Nov. 1, 2023. This is a contracted position with a stipend.
Cost:
Future Updates:
Thank you for your patience as we work to reinstate regional competitions for the first time in five years! Please contact SkillsUSA.Tennessee@tn.gov with any questions.
-Ashley Acuff, SkillsUSA Tennessee Secondary State Director
Regional Locations and Dates:
- West - Confirmed TCAT Memphis for Feb. 5, 2024
- Midwest - Confirmed TCAT Nashville for Feb. 6, 2024 (confirmed on Oct. 18, 2023)
- Middle - Confirmed TCAT Hartsville for Feb. 7, 2024 (confirmed on Oct. 30, 2023)
- East - Confirmed TCAT Knoxville for Feb. 8, 2024
- Upper East - Confirmed Northeast State for Feb. 9, 2024 (TCAT Morristown declined on Oct. 18, 2023; Northeast State confirmed on Oct. 30, 2023)
Regional Coordinators:
Now that we have regions established, we are in need of Regional Coordinators! Regional Coordinator descriptions can be found here. Interested parties can apply here by Nov. 1, 2023. This is a contracted position with a stipend.
Cost:
- Student Competitors $25
- Advisor Chaperones $10
- No observers will be allowed to attend due to space constraints
Future Updates:
- Nov. 1, 2023 - Release the Conference Guide with important dates and deadlines, registration information, payment information, required forms, and the number of qualifier bids per competition distributed by region
Thank you for your patience as we work to reinstate regional competitions for the first time in five years! Please contact SkillsUSA.Tennessee@tn.gov with any questions.
-Ashley Acuff, SkillsUSA Tennessee Secondary State Director
Oct. 1, 2023 Update
Thank you to all of our stakeholders who provided input on region configurations for our 2024 and 2025 regional competitions. The regions for the high school regional conferences in 2024 and 2025 will be as pictured:
An interactive regional map can be accessed by clicking the image or by clicking here.
After analyzing membership data, competition data, and stakeholder input, the above configuration (Option D in the stakeholder survey) has the most benefits for the broadest group of SkillsUSA Tennessee members. This configuration will shorten travel time within a region and align regions with time zones thus making participation more accessible. This configuration could also support continued growth within each region. These regions will remain in place for the 2024 and 2025 high school regional conferences. Analysis for the 2026 and 2027 regional conferences will begin after the conclusion of the 2023-2024 membership year.
If a chapter falls on or near a region line, the lead advisor can submit a request to the state office here by Nov. 1, 2023. The request to switch regions must include a justification for the switch, and if approved, that switch will remain in place for the two-year cycle. Please note that if a SkillsUSA chapter is in a county/district with multiple SkillsUSA chapters and submits a request to switch regions, the entire county/district must request to switch regions, otherwise, the request will be denied.
High School Competitions Offered at the 2024 Regional Conferences:
- Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair
- Automotive Service Technician
- Carpentry
- Cosmetology
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Welding
- Welding Fabrication
Whoever receives a qualifier bid in these competitions will get the opportunity to compete at State Leadership and Skills Conference (SLSC). Qualifier bids will be distributed based on the capacity at SLSC determined by the State Technical Chair as well as the equitable chance of qualifying within a region.
If a student/team does not qualify at a regional conference, they may register for a non-qualifying competition at SLSC. (e.g. A student competes in Carpentry at a regional conference, receives 10th place, and thus does not receive a bid for SLSC. Although the student cannot attend SLSC in Carpentry, they may sign up for another competition such as Job Interview as it is a non-qualifying competition.)
Regional Coordinators:
Now that we have regions established, we are in need of Regional Coordinators! Regional Coordinator descriptions can be found here. Interested parties can apply here. This is a contracted position with a stipend.
Future Updates:
- Oct. 15, 2023 - Release conference locations, conference dates, and cost to attend
- Nov. 1, 2023 - Release the Conference Guide with important dates and deadlines, registration information, payment information, required forms, and the number of qualifier bids per competition distributed by region
Thank you for your patience as we work to reinstate regional competitions for the first time in five years! Please contact SkillsUSA.Tennessee@tn.gov with any questions.
-Ashley Acuff, SkillsUSA Tennessee Secondary State Director
Sept. 1, 2023 Update
We have great news! SkillsUSA Tennessee is now in a situation where our membership has significantly increased post-pandemic and we want to plan for continued growth and sustainability. To do this, we are bringing back in-person regional conferences. We are still in the early stages of the planning process. Below are updates on some of the different moving parts.
Levels of Competition: 2024 regional conferences will be held for the high school division only. We will NOT be hosting regional conferences for the middle school or postsecondary divisions.
Competitions: We have analyzed which competitions have reached maximum capacity or are approaching maximum capacity at State Leadership and Skills Conference (SLSC) and have contacted State Technical Chairs to confirm the need of a regional competition. Below is our most up-to-date list of confirmations from State Technical Chairs:
Regions: For the last five (5) years, SkillsUSA has not designated regions or region lines. We formed a committee to review membership and competitor data to aid in forming potential region options. Some primary factors that the committee considered while creating these options are membership data, equity between chapters statewide, financial resources to support regions, and keeping school districts/counties together. Some secondary considerations include former region lines and time zones. We need advisors' input to help us determine what our updated regional lines will look like. Please review this document and cast your chapter's vote by Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. This document was emailed to past 2022-2023 registered SkillsUSA advisors as well as SkillsUSA advisors who have already joined as registered members for the 2023-2024 year.
Locations: We have had preliminary discussions with the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) on using TCAT and community college sites to host our regional conferences. Thank you to all that have volunteered their facilities so far. We hope to confirm locations once we know how our regions will be structured, what competitions we are hosting, timing, etc.
Timing: We are aiming to host one-day regional conferences in February, however, this is not yet confirmed. This will depend on the competitions we host, the location within a region, availability, and more.
Our next update will be posted on or before Oct. 1, 2023. In this update, we hope to have more details including, but not limited to: region lines, locations, dates, format, cost, etc.
Thank you for your patience as we make plans to support the growth and sustainability of our organization! Please contact SkillsUSA.Tennessee@tn.gov with any questions.
- Ashley Acuff, SkillsUSA Tennessee Secondary State Director
Levels of Competition: 2024 regional conferences will be held for the high school division only. We will NOT be hosting regional conferences for the middle school or postsecondary divisions.
Competitions: We have analyzed which competitions have reached maximum capacity or are approaching maximum capacity at State Leadership and Skills Conference (SLSC) and have contacted State Technical Chairs to confirm the need of a regional competition. Below is our most up-to-date list of confirmations from State Technical Chairs:
- Regional competitions confirmed by the State Technical Chair:
- Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair (confirmed on Sept. 14, 2023)
- Automotive Service Technician (confirmed on Sept. 14, 2023)
- Carpentry
- Cosmetology
- Welding
- Welding Fabrication
- Waiting on confirmation from the State Technical Chair for these potential regional competitions:
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Criminal Justice
Regions: For the last five (5) years, SkillsUSA has not designated regions or region lines. We formed a committee to review membership and competitor data to aid in forming potential region options. Some primary factors that the committee considered while creating these options are membership data, equity between chapters statewide, financial resources to support regions, and keeping school districts/counties together. Some secondary considerations include former region lines and time zones. We need advisors' input to help us determine what our updated regional lines will look like. Please review this document and cast your chapter's vote by Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. This document was emailed to past 2022-2023 registered SkillsUSA advisors as well as SkillsUSA advisors who have already joined as registered members for the 2023-2024 year.
Locations: We have had preliminary discussions with the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) on using TCAT and community college sites to host our regional conferences. Thank you to all that have volunteered their facilities so far. We hope to confirm locations once we know how our regions will be structured, what competitions we are hosting, timing, etc.
Timing: We are aiming to host one-day regional conferences in February, however, this is not yet confirmed. This will depend on the competitions we host, the location within a region, availability, and more.
Our next update will be posted on or before Oct. 1, 2023. In this update, we hope to have more details including, but not limited to: region lines, locations, dates, format, cost, etc.
Thank you for your patience as we make plans to support the growth and sustainability of our organization! Please contact SkillsUSA.Tennessee@tn.gov with any questions.
- Ashley Acuff, SkillsUSA Tennessee Secondary State Director
Oct. 17, 2022 Update
Originally shared via Memo Monday
We hope your SkillsUSA year is off to a great start with your chapter! It has been exciting to hear from advisors about what you and your students are doing to kickstart the year. Although we have been in a rebuilding state for the past year, the rebuilding is still an ongoing focus and we are hopeful for an increase in participation this SkillsUSA year.
When making a decision about whether or not to host regional conferences, we have to evaluate the following: the need for a regional qualifier to narrow down participation at State Leadership and Skills Conference (SLSC), the cost of hosting 3-5 regional conferences across the state, the financial health of the organization, the cost passed on to students to participate in regional conferences, and more.
The last year we hosted regional conferences in 2018-2019, our membership was over 5,200 members. This past year 2021-2022, our membership sat around 3,700. With almost a 30% decline in membership since the last time we hosted regionals, the rising costs of equipment and materials, the current void of industry support at the regional level, and no immediate need to narrow down participation before SLSC, the decision has been made to not host regionals in 2022-2023.
We still encourage you to host a local competition at the school or district level if you would like to give your students another opportunity to showcase their skills and receive feedback. A best practice is to bring in school administrators, school counselors, your CTE Director, business and industry partners, alumni, etc. to observe and evaluate your students. This could help increase buy-in from your administration as well as open the door for business and industry partners to sponsor your students and chapter.
There are many other opportunities for students to gain a comprehensive SkillsUSA experience out of competition through the Program of Work and Chapter Excellence Program. The Program of Work includes leadership development, advocacy and marketing, workplace experiences, financial life management, community engagement, and partner and alumni engagement. Program of Work activities allow students to practice and perform the Essential Elements of the SkillsUSA Framework and receive feedback to strengthen their leadership and employability skills. The Chapter Excellence Program is a great way to get recognition for your chapter's activities, including the Program of Work, throughout the year outside of competition.
We hope our transparency helps you to better understand the decision that was made. We will re-evaluate the need for regional conferences annually and hope to have an update for 2023-2024 at the 2023 SLSC.
Questions? Please contact SkillsUSA.Tennessee@tn.gov.
We hope your SkillsUSA year is off to a great start with your chapter! It has been exciting to hear from advisors about what you and your students are doing to kickstart the year. Although we have been in a rebuilding state for the past year, the rebuilding is still an ongoing focus and we are hopeful for an increase in participation this SkillsUSA year.
When making a decision about whether or not to host regional conferences, we have to evaluate the following: the need for a regional qualifier to narrow down participation at State Leadership and Skills Conference (SLSC), the cost of hosting 3-5 regional conferences across the state, the financial health of the organization, the cost passed on to students to participate in regional conferences, and more.
The last year we hosted regional conferences in 2018-2019, our membership was over 5,200 members. This past year 2021-2022, our membership sat around 3,700. With almost a 30% decline in membership since the last time we hosted regionals, the rising costs of equipment and materials, the current void of industry support at the regional level, and no immediate need to narrow down participation before SLSC, the decision has been made to not host regionals in 2022-2023.
We still encourage you to host a local competition at the school or district level if you would like to give your students another opportunity to showcase their skills and receive feedback. A best practice is to bring in school administrators, school counselors, your CTE Director, business and industry partners, alumni, etc. to observe and evaluate your students. This could help increase buy-in from your administration as well as open the door for business and industry partners to sponsor your students and chapter.
There are many other opportunities for students to gain a comprehensive SkillsUSA experience out of competition through the Program of Work and Chapter Excellence Program. The Program of Work includes leadership development, advocacy and marketing, workplace experiences, financial life management, community engagement, and partner and alumni engagement. Program of Work activities allow students to practice and perform the Essential Elements of the SkillsUSA Framework and receive feedback to strengthen their leadership and employability skills. The Chapter Excellence Program is a great way to get recognition for your chapter's activities, including the Program of Work, throughout the year outside of competition.
We hope our transparency helps you to better understand the decision that was made. We will re-evaluate the need for regional conferences annually and hope to have an update for 2023-2024 at the 2023 SLSC.
Questions? Please contact SkillsUSA.Tennessee@tn.gov.
