Tyler Kercher, Executive Director of the Florida SkillsUSA program attended the Masonry Education Foundation Board meeting on October 8, 2014 to discuss the importance of skills training in high schools.

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. Skills USA helps each student excel. They provide educational programs, events and competitions that support career and technical education (CTE) in the nation’s classrooms.

The SkillsUSA program has proven to be very successful.  99% of students participating in the Skills USA programs graduate from high school, as opposed to the national average of 80%.  SkillsUSA students participate in a program that provides not only the trade skills, but offers a complete framework for success.  This framework provide students with three areas of concentration:
• Technical skills specific to their trade, real-world and hands-on experience, workplace safety, etc.
• "21st Century Skills" or workplace skills training consisting of communications, teamwork, decision-making, planning, organization, management and ultimately leadership.
• "Soft Skills Training" or positive personal skills to help create an employee who is flexible, personable, adaptable, and shows the ability to get along well with others.

The Skills USA program has been around for over 50 years (formerly known as VICA), and is the largest nationwide student organization.  Over 335,000 students, 4117 schools, 17,100 instructors in all 50 states and four territories participate in this valuable program annually.

All Masonry Education Foundation apprentices are eligible to participate in in the Skills USA competitions held on a regional level in Florida, then competing nationally in Kansas City. 

For more information on Skills USA, visit their website: www.SkillsUSA.org 

To find out about masonry apprentice programs, visit the website: www.masonryeducation.org  or contact:
Al Herndon, North Florida Apprentice Rep 904-838-6531
Julio Vazquez South Florida Apprentice Rep 561-400-6345