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https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7515/urlt/CareerTechStudentOrg.pdf

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https://www.skillsusafl.org/about/

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SkillsUSA offers local, state and national opportunities for students to learn and practice personal, workplace and technical skills. These three components comprise the SkillsUSA Framework, a blueprint for career readiness.

Local chapters construct an annual program of work, and many students participate in regional, state, and national competitions. At the SkillsUSA Florida Championships, more than 1,500 students compete in 110 skills and leadership competitions each April. Gold medalist advance to the National Championships in June. These competitions help establish industry standards for job skill training and entry-level workers.

SkillsUSA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a successful model of employer-driven youth development training.

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Help Us Eliminate the Workforce Skills Gap Florida needs a world-class, skilled workforce to lead in global innovation, ensure future economic growth, and fill jobs being created by technical employers. Staff, Board, and Officers Corporate Partners National Press Room Building America's

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https://quizlet.com/308859500/ctsos-flash-cards/

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https://www.aeseducation.com/blog/career-technical-student-organization-ctso

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Are you new to teaching in a career and technical education (CTE) program? If so, you've likely heard the phrase 'CTSO' and are wondering what it means and how it impacts your students.

A career and technical student organization (CTSO) is an extracurricular group for students in CTE pathways to further their knowledge and skills by participating in activities, events, and competitions.

To become a nationally recognized CTSO, an organization must meet the membership criteria indicated by the National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations (NCC-CTSO).
There are currently eight CTSOs that are recognized members of the NCC-CTSO coalition:

1. Business Professionals of America

2. DECA

3. Family, Career and Community Leaders of America

4. Future Business Leaders of America - Phi Beta Lambda

5. HOSA - Future Health Professionals

6. National FFA Organization

7. SkillsUSA

8. Technology Student Association

On this page, we'll take a look at these CTSOs, the purpose of each one, who would benefit from joining, and other detailed information.

We'll also reflect on the impact CTSOs have on the workforce and discuss how digital curriculum can help you support your students both in and out of the classroom.

First, let's take a look at career and technical education as a whole to better understand how CTSOs fit into CTE programs.

What Is Career & Technical Education?

Career and technical education is the practice of teaching specific career skills to students in middle school, high school, and post-secondary institutions.

CTE is made up of 16 career clusters which each related to careers in specific industries.

Overall, students who enter a CTE program are gaining knowledge and hands-on skill experience to prepare them for careers that they otherwise couldn't pursue.

The 8 Career and Technical Student Organizations

A key factor of being an authorized CTSO is that the organization must specifically relate to one or more of the 16 national career clusters. That being said, some CTSOs only apply to one career cluster, while others include students from many clusters.

To get an idea of how the CTSOs work, let's take a look at each one.

1. Business Professionals of America

The Business Professionals of America (BPA is a CTSO focused on providing student members with opportunities in leadership and citizenship while gaining academic and technological skills.

The career clusters that BPA aligns with are:

Business & Management Administration

Finance

Information Technology

Overall, BPA has more than 45,000 student members in 1,800 chapters across 25 states and Puerto Rico.

The BPA has activities and programs that support skill-building as well as competitive events to measure those skills. The most impactful program provided by BPA is the Workplace Skills Assessment Program (WSAP), which consists of more than 90 competitive events at regional, state, and national levels.

The biggest event for students in BPA is the National Leadership Conference (BPA NLC). Every year, thousands of students travel from across the country to meet up at this event.

The BPA describes the NLC as "four exciting days of competitions, leadership developments, workshops, national officer elections, fun tours, and much more."

2. DECA

DECA is a CTSO that helps students develop college and career readiness skills. Specifically, DECA is focused on preparing students for careers in four clusters:

Business Management & Administration

Finance

Hospitality & Tourism

Marketing

While DECA is specific to students in those four career clusters, the organization's viewpoint is that all of those careers fall into two overarching themes -- Entrepreneurship and 21st Century Employability Skills.

DECA provides many ways for students to develop and showcase these critical skills, including "challenges," competitive events, school-based enterprises, educational conferences, and more.

Something that makes DECA unique is that it has gone international. There are more than 225,000 members in 3,700 chapters across all 50 states plus chapters in other countries such as China and Germany!

3. Family, Career and Community Leaders of America

The FCCLA states that it "engages students through career exploration and leadership development" while building skills related to careers in Family and Consumer Sciences. Though that may seem generalized, the FCCLA is a great CTSO for students in three clusters:

Education & Training

Hospitality & Tourism

Human Services

There are more than 5,300 FCCLA chapters across 51 states and territories with more than 180,000 members.

The FCCLA has many events and meetings for members and advisors to connect with others. The largest event held is the FCCLA National Leadership Conference. At the conference, students can attend workshops, leadership sessions, and participate in competitive events.

4. Future Business Leaders of America - Phi Beta Lambda

Future Business Leaders of America - Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL) has a mission of preparing students to become "community-minded business leaders" by providing opportunities to learn career skills and gain leadership experience.

In total, there are over 230,000 members across the high school (FBLA) and collegiate (PBL) divisions, with a total of 5,200 chapters in nearly every state.

In general, FBLA competitive events are related to 10 career clusters, but the ones that best match up are:

Business Management & Administration

Finance

Information Technology

Marketing

While there are a number of conferences that members of FBLA-PBL can attend, the National Leadership Conference is the largest. At the conference, students can meet up with other members, attend workshops, and partake in competitive events.

5. HOSA - Future Health Professionals

is dedicated to preparing students for careers in one specific cluster: HOSA - Future Health Professional (HOSA)Health Science.

HOSA is one of the only CTSOs that has officially become international. There are more than 260,000 members in upwards of 3,500 chapters across all 50 states and a handful of other countries.

The mission of HOSA and its' members is to "promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people."

This is accomplished by HOSA providing members with opportunities for:

Practicing and honing hands-on skills

Connecting with healthcare professionals and potential employers

Competing in events to demonstrate their skills

Taking on leadership roles in the organization

All of this comes together at the annual International Leadership Conference (ILC). Students who attend the ILC can attend sessions and workshops, check out exhibits, compete in events on various skills, and ultimately connect with other future health care professionals!

6. National FFA Organization

The FFA is made up of 8,739 chapters across all 50 states and Puerto Rico with a total membership at more than 750,000.

The overarching vision of FFA is to "grow leaders, build communities, and strengthen agriculture."

The FFA focuses on more than just hands-on skills needed in the agricultural industry. Students in FFA also develop skills like leadership and communication that any employee would need.

In order to achieve those goals, the organization provides members with experiences to grow their knowledge and skills. These experiences include local chapter activities, competitive events, service projects, and the annual convention.

The National FFA Convention & Expo is described as "one of the largest student conventions in the world with a mission to develop, educate, and inspire." Students who attend will have opportunities to meet up with other members, watch motivational speakers, attend skills workshops, and ultimately learn even more about their future careers.

7. SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is the most versatile of all of the CTSOs. Formerly known as the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, SkillsUSA is applicable for students in any career cluster or pathway.

This versatility is shown in the numbers, as SkillsUSA has more than 370,000 members and 19,000 chapters across all 50 states.

1. Workplace skills

2. Personal skills

3. Technical skills grounded in academics

In order to help members shape these skills, the organization provides leadership training, employability skills curriculum, skills assessments, and various events.

Of all those things, the organization calls the national Program of Work "the heart of SkillsUSA."

The Program of Work is made up of seven goals, that all chapters are expected to meet:

1. Professional development

2. Community service

3. Employment

4. Ways and means

5. SkillsUSA Championships

6. Public relations

7. Social activities

Ultimately, the program acts as guidelines for each local SkillsUSA chapter to ensure members are gaining all of the skills within the SkillsUSA Framework.

8. Technology Student Association

The organization's mission is to "enhance personal development, leadership, and career opportunities" in those areas. This is accomplished both in and out of schools with a mix of curriculum resources, competitions, and other programs.

Currently TSA has more than 250,000 members in 2,000 chapters in nearly every state. The highlight for members is the chance to compete at state and national events, where they can demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a particular career pathway.

Something unique about TSA is their focus on supporting teachers as well as the student members. Along with the competitions and programs for students, TSA provides curriculum resources and activities that teachers can use to help their students succeed.

So now that we've looked at each organization, let's reflect on how CTSOs impact CTE across the US.

How Do CTSOs Impact CTE and the Workforce?

While each organization caters to different career clusters - ultimately they all accomplish the same thing:

CTSOs give CTE students additional opportunities outside of the classroom to grow and develop skills they will need within their chosen career paths.

These opportunities range from after-school activities and programs to competitive events where students demonstrate their skills.

Also, CTSOs give students ways to network with other students and industry partners to start building professional relationships.

Overall, being part of a CTSO can set students apart from those who aren't members. Having membership listed on a resume can give someone a leg up over others when applying for a job, especially if they were in a leadership role in the organization!

How You Can Take Your CTE Program to the Next Level

You know the role that CTSOs play in preparing students for their careers, but that's only one part of the equation.

In addition to the extracurricular activities and events, your students need support from in the classroom.

With the increasing demand for skilled workers, more students are choosing the path of CTE. That means you've got a lot of work to do in order to keep your classes effective. Not only do you need to keep up with changes in standards and the industry, but you're bound to encounter more diversity in student needs.

That means planning your lessons, activities, and assessments could quickly turn into a summer's worth of work!

Fortunately, there's a solution -- digital curriculum.

A digital curriculum is an online system built to empower CTE teachers and help students succeed. This is accomplished with hundreds of ready-to-use resources, classroom management tools, and automatic student tracking.

Because it's online, digital curriculum is updated as the industry changes or new CTE standards are released. That means there's one less thing for you to worry about when it comes to helping your students be prepared for their careers.

Thousands of CTE teachers are already using digital curriculum to take their program to the next level.

Don't miss out on this key piece of preparing your students for success!

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What Is a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO)?

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Are you new to teaching in a career and technical education (CTE) program? If so, you've likely heard the phrase 'CTSO' and are wondering what it means and how it impacts your students. A career and technical student organization (CTSO) is an extracurricular group for students in CTE pathways to further their knowledge and skills by participating in activities, events, and competitions.

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https://www.ctsos.org/about-us/

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National Coordinating Council For Career and Technical Student Organizations The National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations (NCC-CTSO) serves as a communications and collaborative vehicle for Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) that are recognized by a…