A Guide to Career & Technical Student Organizations · 6 Careers in South Carolina Career &...

Career & Technical Student Organizations 1

A Guide to Career & Technical

StudentOrganizationsin South Carolina


ConTenTS

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) and how they fit with Personal Pathways to Success

Learn By DoingTo understand why CTSOs are important, let’s talk about “the big picture.” As you know, the South Carolina

Department of Education has embraced the career-focused educational program called Personal Pathways to

Success. The program is based on the nationally recognized model of Career Clusters – 16 areas of study that

correspond with, and lead to, real-world careers.

CTSOs are a small, but important, part of Personal Pathways to Success. That’s because Personal Pathways

to Success helps students of all ages make informed decisions about career-focused education. The goal is to

have all students think about what they like, what they are good at, and what kind of education they will need

to successfully pursue careers in those same areas.

What makes Personal Pathways to Success and the Career Clusters model unique is the way they map out an

educational and career plan for students.

When students can relate their educational experiences to life in the real world, they are more likely to dedicate

themselves to learning. CTSOs provide a real world environment that students use to gain experience.

CTSOs Defined

Personal Pathways to Success is more than a required set of tasks for students. It is a way to measure what we know against what we need to know to achieve what we want in life. That’s why CTSOs and other aspects of the career cluster method of education are so important. They provide students with opportunities to learn more about what they need to know in the real world by giving them opportunities to experience their chosen career or career cluster firsthand.

From healthcare to farming and business to auto repair, CTSOs provide students the chance to see and experience what it takes to succeed, not just in terms of academic knowledge, but in terms of leadership, communications, and other “soft” skills that are the foundation of future success.

Across the nation, CTSOs are essentially the same. These national organizations all have local chapters in states across the nation with career-directed programs for students. All CTSO programs also include cooperative business and industry partnerships, competitive events, and community involvement. This enables students to gain practical experience and make personal contacts with mentors and employers in the business world.

Under the guidance of local chapter advisors, CTSO participants (members) practice and refine their skills through local projects, district and state activities, and even national and international events. The ultimate goal is to help students build strong foundations and skills that are essential in the “real word” and lead to meaningful, interesting, and satisfying careers.

Regardless of a student’s definition of success or career path choice, there is a CTSO to help him or her prepare. The leadership skills students build while participating in CTSOs are applicable to any future endeavor and can also be rewarding in the form of dual-enrollment, scholarship, or financial aid opportunities as well as the relationships with community leaders who may one day hire you.

Skills Employers Want. Relevance Students Seek.

Today’s employers look beyond report cards for students who are motivated. They recognize these students easily, as they are the job applicants who have academic knowledge and technical skills as well as the social “intangibles” that aren’t learned from textbooks, but gained from social interaction. These valuable qualities include ideas such as ethics, critical thinking, and problem solving, as well as the ability to work with others and to communicate ideas clearly and concisely.

Students can gain these intangible skills by participating in extra- and co-curricular activities such as job shadowing, internships, part-time jobs, and CTSOs. Since these extended learning opportunities occur in the “real world,” they help students relate school requirements to the job skills that employers want.

CTSos Defined 1

national Career Clusters Model 3

DeCA: Marketing, Management & entrepreneurship 6

FBLA: Future Business Leaders of America–Phi Beta Lambda 8

FCCLA: Family, Career and Community Leaders of America 10

FFA: The national FFA organization 12

HoSA: Health occupations Students of America 14

SkillsUSA 16

TSA: Technology Student Association 18

2 Careers in South Carolina Career & Technical Student Organizations 3

CTSOs as a part of the Individual Graduation Plan (IGP)

IGPs are an educational and career tool created for students that have three main goals:• Enable students to evaluate themselves academically• Get them to understand that education is the path that leads to a successful career• Get them focused on “the big picture”

As students continue to fill out their individual IGPs, they are creating a road map for the future. Staying on course and reaching one’s destination (graduation) with all the courses, skills, and experience needed to take a career-focused education to the next level – also known as the “real world” – is crucial.

Besides changes in the classroom, Personal Pathways to Success also encourages students to pursue education in the real world, thus helping to complete the link between academic success and career success. This is where Extended Learning Opportunities, including CTSOs, become important. Examples of Extended Learning Opportunities other than CTSOs include:

ApprenticeshipsCooperative EducationInternshipsJob-ShadowingMentoring

School-Based Senior ProjectsService LearningStudent-Led Entrepreneurship Activities Part-Time Employment

FoundationKnowledge and Skills

Academic and Technical SkillsEmployability Ethics Systems

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Safety, Health, and Environment

Environmental and

Agricultural Systems

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Teamwork Career DevelopmentProblem Solving Critical Thinking

Legal Responsibilities Communication

Business, Management, and Administration Cluster• Administrative Support• Business Information Management• General Management• Human Resources Management• Operations Management

Hospitality and Tourism Cluster• Lodging• Recreation, Amusements, and Attractions• Restaurants and Food and Beverage Services• Travel and Tourism

Marketing, Sales, and Services Cluster• Marketing Communications• Marketing Management• Marketing Research• Merchandising• Professional Sales

Finance Cluster• Banking Services• Business Finance• Insurance • Securities and Investments• Accounting

Law, Public Safety,Corrections, andSecurity Cluster• Correction Services• Emergency and Fire Management Services• Law Enforcement Services• Legal Services• Security and Protective Services

Government and Public Administration Cluster• Revenue and Taxation• Foreign Service• Governance• National Security• Planning• Public Management and Administration• Regulation

Education and Training Cluster• Administration and Administrative Support• Professional Support Services• Teaching/Training

Human Services Cluster• Consumer Services• Counseling and Mental Health Services• Early Childhood Development and Services• Family and Community Services• Personal Care Services

Manufacturing Cluster• Production• Manufacturing Production Process Development• Maintenance, Installation, and Repair• Quality Assurance• Logistics and Inventory Control• Health, Safety, and Environmental Assurance

Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics Cluster• Facility and Mobile Equipment Maintenance• Health, Safety, and Environmental Management• Logistics Planning and Management Services• Sales and Services• Transportation Operations• Transportation/Systems Infrastructure Planning, Management, and Regulation• Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations

Science, Technology, Engineering,and Mathematics• Engineering and Technology• Science and Math (Investigative, Informational, and Educational)

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Cluster• Animal Systems• Agribusiness Systems• Environmental Service Systems• Food Products and Processing Systems• Natural Resources Systems• Plant Systems• Power, Structural, and Technical Systems

Information Technology Cluster• Information Support and Services• Web and Digital Communications• Network Systems• Programming and Software Development

Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications Cluster• Audio/Visual Techniques• Journalism and Broadcasting• Performing Arts• Printing Techniques• Telecommunications Techniques• Visual Arts

Health Science Cluster• Biotechnology Research and Development• Diagnostic Services• Support Services• Health Informatics• Therapeutic Services

Architecture and Construction• Construction• Design and Pre-Construction• Maintenance and Operations

National Career Clusters Model

4 Careers in South Carolina

Teachers: Become Involved in a CTSO and Build a Career Foundation for Your Students

Besides getting students off on the right foot toward a successful and fulfilling career, educators who begin or become active in CTSOs can earn sizeable cash awards (payable to school or district) for chapter success. A chapter can be considered successful for increased membership, establishing national officers, or having a member become a national competition winner.

In the coming years, CTSOs may be integrated into core curriculum requirements. The perception of education as a consecutive series of daily classes is evolving into activities organized around student potential that maximize opportunities to learn and emphasize the financial and lifelong rewards of career-specific learning.

At the same time, postsecondary credit will increasingly be offered for these activities. That means someone who wants to focus on auto collision or carpentry as a skill will be able to receive certificate credit toward an associate’s degree, while someone interested in medicine receives college credit for participation in HOSA.

CTSO Activities and EventsCTSOs offer a variety of intra-curricular opportunities, meaning that local chapter projects often are coordinated with school curriculums. This helps students better appreciate materials presented in the classroom, outside speakers, films, group discussions, and other activities because they reinforce why academic instruction is important and relate it to career opportunities.

ScholarshipsStudents who participate in a CTSO may find that there are financial benefits available, in the form of scholarships, just for belonging to a CTSO such as DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, or TSA. Scholarship amounts can increase if the student were an officer or received awards in competitions.

No matter what you want to do, there is a CTSO for youVariety is the key. There is a CTSO that relates to every career cluster. And, with a number of different chapter events, it is possible for every student to become involved. The competitive events, starting locally and continuing at

the state, national, and international levels, allow students to showcase their academic and technical prowess as well as emerging professional skills.

CTSO Advisors: Get InvolvedWhat does a CTSO advisor do? Advisors guide and motivate students who participate. These dedicated volunteers:

• Supervise activities that enable students to understand the interrelationship of Career and Technology Education (CATE) or the career clusters academic model and their CTSO

• Help students select CTSO activities in which they are interested, leading to higher probabilities of successful involvement

• Assist students in preparing for competitive events and provide training to students who are serving as officers and chairpersons

• Provide instruction for students in the management steps of planning, executing, and evaluating CTSO activities and projects

• Help students develop and apply leadership, human relations, and communications skills in the classroom and during CTSO activities.

Benefits of CTSO Membership

There are many advantages for students who participate in CTSOs. They can:

• Experience the relationship between the classroom and the business world

• Build business and community contacts who may become role models,

mentors, and employers

• Refine career objectives through realistic experiences

• Learn how to work successfully with many different kinds of people

• Gain a sense of accomplishment by contributing to a team

• Lead, coordinate, and participate in school and community projects

• Receive scholarships to two-year and four-year institutions

• Apply skills gained in a CTSO to their personal lives

• Realize scholastic achievement and school loyalty



DECA is an international association of high school and college students studying marketing, management, and entrepreneurship in “Business, Management, and Administration,” “Finance,” “Hospitality and Tourism,” and “Marketing, Sales, and Service” clusters. The organization began more than 60 years ago and its goal is to improve educational and career opportunities for students interested in marketing, management, and entrepreneurship.

DECA Membership DivisionsThere are four different divisions (high school, college, professional, and alumni). However, any high school student enrolled in a marketing-related curriculum/cluster is eligible for DECA membership at the local, state, and national levels.

Major ProgramsDECA programs give students a chance to hone their skills in a variety of areas that will help them be better prepared for a successful career.

LeadershipDECA offers its members plenty of opportunity to improve leadership skills at the local level through such activities as committee work, officer elections, exercises in parliamentary procedure, and public speaking. In addition, DECA offers a variety of experiences beyond the local level such as its Leadership Academy, Senior Management Institute, and Chapter Management Academy.

Community ServicePrograms such as the Community Service Project, Public Relations Project, and Learn and Earn Project provide the resources, training, support, and recognition that any professional and personal development requires.

PublicationsDECA publishes a student magazine, Dimensions, four times a year, The Advisor newsletter, and a planning calendar that help students plan for and prepare for important conferences and competitions.

CompetitionsDECA’s Competitive Events Program gives students the opportunity to put their experience and knowledge to the test. Depending on occupational goals and chapter activity, students can compete on a local, national, and

even an international level in more than 20 career areas with members from other chapters on real-world marketing scenarios.

Types of EventsBusiness Simulation events include an interactive role-play and a written multiple-choice exam. Case Study events involve analyzing real-world case situations and presenting solutions. Prepared Business Presentation events involve preparing a written prospectus, design, sales presentation, or Web site and presenting the work for evaluation.

MembershipThere are many DECA chapters in South Carolina and in more than 4,500 high schools across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and territories, Mexico, Germany, and Canada. With over 185,000 members, mostly juniors and seniors, DECA’s high school division is recognized and endorsed by all 50 state departments of education and the U.S. Department of Education.

To join a chapter or start your own, visit www.southcarolinadeca.org for more information. Membership in the high school division is restricted to students with a career interest in Hospitality and Tourism; Business, Management, and Administration; Finance; and Marketing, Sales, and Service.

ScholarshipsDECA’s competitive events structure propels winners from local to state levels and finally to the international level. The success, confidence, recognition,

and awards that students earn in this program are crucial to their success in marketing careers. Each year more than 100,000 members compete at the local, state, and national levels, in their chosen occupational field, for recognition of their skills and competence.

Approximately 10,000 state members qualify to compete at DECA’s International Career Development Conferences. Winners at the international level are awarded trophies and cash or stock in the company that sponsors the competitive event. For instance, companies like Sears, JCPenny, and Otis Spunkmeyer, as well as many others, have provided in excess of $250,000 annually in scholarships for students and teachers involved with DECA.

SC Career and Technical Student Organizations DECA

Employment Opportunities

DECA’s National Advisory Board is made up of business executives from more than 65 companies, associations, and colleges who believe in and support DECA. It is virtually a “who’s who” of the retail and hospitality industries. A number of these companies extend employment opportunities to students who participate and excel in DECA competitions. Visit www.deca.org/employment for a current listing of active employers.

www.southcarolinadeca.org

www.deca.org


Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL) is the largest and oldest business student organization in the world that prepares students for leadership careers in business.

The South Carolina chapter received its charter in 1949, becoming State Chapter Number Five, and has continued to grow ever since.

MissionOur mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs.

MembershipSouth Carolina FBLA is an excellent and extremely popular student organization for middle school and high school students that prepares them for leadership careers in business. They have developed a unique value program for students, faculty, administrators, and business professionals. With more than 250,000 members nationwide, the South Carolina chapter has five main districts throughout the state.

Partners and SponsorsFBLA-PBL has partnerships and sponsorships at the local, state, and national level. These individuals and corporations provide scholarship opportunities, competitive event sponsorships, fund-raising projects, and additional program benefits for members and advisors.

Member BenefitsStudents can build a portfolio of accomplishments as a complement to their academic experience. As a result, when applying for scholarships, students can demonstrate how they served in a leadership position, received awards, or participated in projects for the largest business-based student organization in the world through the Business Achievement Awards (BAA),

a self-directed, results-based business and leadership program designed to complement academics while accelerating a student’s leadership skills.

Students can also attend a State or National Leadership Conference and choose from more than 50 competitive and skills events in the areas of technology, public speaking, business, finance, and management. Finish as the very best in the nation, and one of your students could win recognition and cash from sponsored events.

FBLA recognizes and rewards excellence in a broad range of business and career related areas. At the State Leadership Conference, students compete in events testing their business knowledge and skills. Top state winners are then eligible to compete for national awards at the National Leadership Conference each summer. Competitive events fall into three categories: individual, team, and chapter. Individual and team events focus on skills useful in leadership and career development. Chapter events recognize overall achievement and performance in chapter management and growth. Students can select to compete in more than 50 competitive events that include topics like:

Leadership in ActionAccounting I & IIAmerican Enterprise ProjectBanking & Financial SystemsBusiness CalculationsBusiness CommunicationBusiness EthicsBusiness Financial PlanBusiness LawBusiness MathBusiness PlanBusiness PresentationBusiness ProceduresClient ServiceCommunity Service ProjectComputer ApplicationsComputer Problem SolvingCyber SecurityDatabase Design & ApplicationsDesktop ApplicationProgrammingDesktop PublishingDigital Video ProductionE-businessEconomicsElectronic Career PortfolioEmerging Business IssuesEntrepreneurshipFBLA Principles and ProceduresFuture Business LeaderGlobal Business

FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA: PHI BETA LAMBDA

GoalsThe goals of FBLA-PBL are to:

• Develop competent, aggressive business leadership

• Strengthen the confidence of students in themselves and their work

• Create more interest in and understanding of American business enterprise

• Encourage members in the development of individual projects, which contribute to the improvement of home, business and community

• Develop character, prepare for useful citizenship, and foster patriotism

• Encourage and practice efficient money management

• Encourage scholarship and promote school loyalty

• Assist students in the establishment of occupational goals

• Facilitate the transition from school to work

SC Career and Technical Student Organizations

www.fbla-pbl.org

www.scfbla.org


Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is the only national career and technical student organization with the family as its focus. Since 1945, FCCLA members have been making a difference in their families, careers, and communities by addressing important personal, work, and societal issues through family and consumer sciences education.

Each year, Peer Education teams interact and reach out to other teens to promote individual and team communication skills, address local needs, and develop family, career, and community leaders.

South Carolina FCCLAChapter projects focus on a variety of youth concerns, including teen pregnancy, parenting, family relationships, substance abuse, peer pressure, environment, nutrition and fitness, teen violence, and career exploration. Involvement in FCCLA offers members the opportunity to expand their leadership potential and develop skills for life. Planning, goal setting, problem solving, decision making, and interpersonal communication skills are necessary in the home and workplace.

Competitive EventsSTAR Events (Students Taking Action with Recognition) are competitive events in which members are recognized for proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills, and occupational preparation.

Events include:• Applied Technology• Career Investigation• Chapter Service Project (Display and Manual)• Chapter Showcase (Display and Manual)• Culinary Arts• Early Childhood• Entrepreneurship• Fashion Construction• Focus on Children• Hospitality• Illustrated Talk• Interior Design• Job Interview• Life Event Planning• National Programs in Action• Parliamentary Procedure

• Promote and Publicize FCCLA• Recycle and Redesign• Teach and Train

National Programs• FINANCIAL FITNESS is a national

FCCLA peer education program that involves youth teaching other young people how to make, save, and spend money wisely.

• DyNAMIC LEADERSHIP provides information, activities, and projects to help young people become strong leaders within their families, careers, and communities.

• FAMILIES ACTING FOR COMMUNITy TRAFFIC SAFETy (FACTS) promotes traffic safety, including the use of seat belts and deterrence of impaired driving.

• POWER OF ONE program provides information to help youth set goals for themselves, create plans of action, and meet those goals.

• STUDENT BODy helps young people learn to eat right, be fit, and make healthy choices.

• COMMUNITy SERVICE projects help members develop positive character traits and build skills for family, career, and community roles.

• STUDENTS TAkING ON PREVENTION (STOP) empowers students to recognize, report, and reduce potential youth violence.

• FAMILIES FIRST helps young people gain a better understanding of how families work and learn skills to become strong family members.

• LEADERS AT WORk is a national FCCLA program that recognizes FCCLA members who create projects to strengthen leadership skills on the job.

• CAREER CONNECTION Learn how to explore career pathways and skills for success in families, careers, and communities.

• JAPANESE EXCHANGE Experience another culture and develop independence while living with a Japanese host family.

• STAR EVENTS Earn your place in the spotlight! Use STAR Events to build proficiency and achievement in leadership and job-related skills.

MissionTo promote personal growth and leadership development through

Family and Consumer Sciences education. Focusing on the multiple

roles of family member, wage earner and community leader, members

develop skills for life through character development; creative and

critical thinking; interpersonal communications; practical knowledge;

and career preparation.

MembershipMore than 225,000 members in nearly 7,000 chapters are active in a

network of FCCLA associations in 50 states as well as in the District

of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

FAMILY, CAREER AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF AMERICASC Career and Technical Student Organizations

www.fcclainc.org

www.scfccla.org


National FFA Organization: Agricultural Education Creates Real-World SuccessFounded in 1928 as Future Farmers of America (FFA), the organization was created to solidify support for agricultural education. The organization changed its name in 1988 to the National FFA Organization to reflect the expanding career field of agriculture. Today, the National FFA Organization offers an array of programs and careers – more than 300 in the food, fiber, and natural resources industry. The goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing leadership skills, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. To accomplish this mission, the organization continually works to expand the nation’s view of “traditional” agriculture and seeks to find new ways to infuse agriculture into the classroom.

FFA’s Growing ImportanceIn a world of growing shortages of fossil fuel and the expanding role of agriculture in fueling our economy, the FFA’s mission of expanding agricultural education and innovation is especially critical. Instructors are encouraged to integrate FFA into their curriculum and classrooms.

A Four-Pronged Approach to Agricultural EducationThe mission of the South Carolina Association of FFA is to:

• Be an integral part of organized instructional programs in agricultural education that prepare students for a wide range of careers in agriculture, agribusiness, and other agriculture-related occupations

• Strengthen the confidence of students in themselves and their work by developing desirable work habits and the effective use of their time

• Provide agriculture-related programs and activities, which will develop pride, responsibility, leadership, character, citizenship, patriotism, and thrift to help improve the economic, environmental, recreational, and human resources of the community

• Encourage and recognize achievement through supervised agricultural experience programs, scholarships, leadership, and other individual and group activities

Learn by DoingUnder the guidance of agricultural educators who serve as chapter advisors, members participate and learn advanced career skills in more than 45 areas ranging from food science and technology to agricultural communications and from wildlife management to production agriculture.

Participating in career development events gives members even more exposure and expanded knowledge of the agribusiness industry.

MembershipFFA’s membership has grown to more than 500,000 students in 7,300 chapters across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. FFA members are found in rural and urban areas alike and, in South Carolina, members are affiliated through nine local FFA chapters. Currently, South Carolina has approximately 7,200 high school members.

Financial BenefitsSouth Carolina FFA offers scholarships annually for high school seniors and postsecondary members. In addition, the National FFA Organization awards more than $2 million in scholarships to members each year. Scholarships are given for a wide variety of experiences, career goals, and higher education plans. Different awards may be used at colleges, universities, and post-secondary agricultural programs.

Career Development EventsAll South Carolina FFA members are encouraged to participate in local, district, state, and national competitive events and recognition programs. Team and individual opportunities include:Agriculture CommunicationsAgriculture IssuesAgriculture MechanicsAgriculture SalesAgronomyCreed SpeakingDairy CattleDairy FoodsEntomologyEnvironmental & Natural ResourcesExtemporaneous Public SpeakingFarm Business ManagementFloricultureFood Science & TechnologyForestryHorse EvaluationJob InterviewLivestock EvaluationMeats Evaluation & TechnologyNursery & LandscapeParliamentary ProcedurePoultry EvaluationPrepared Public SpeakingScrapbookWeb Site Development

Accomplishing the MissionIn South Carolina, the mission of the FFA is accomplished by:

• Encouraging excellence in academics and promoting citizenship, volunteerism, and patriotism

• Increasing the awareness and importance of agriculture and its contribution to our individual and national well-being

• Encouraging achievement in supervised agricultural experiences

• Promoting the intelligent choice of agricultural careers• Encouraging wise management of economic, environmental,

and human resources• Developing interpersonal skills in teamwork,

communications, human relations, and social interaction• Strengthening the confidence of agriculture students in

themselves and their work

THE NATIONAL FFA ORGANIZATION

FFA members are part of a complete agricultural education program. The three components of the program consist of classroom/laboratory instruction, supervised agricultural experience, and the FFA. These three essential components work together to ensure FFA members receive the personal, academic, and career experiences necessary for success.


www.ffa.org

www.scaged.org


South Carolina Health Occupations Students of America (SC HOSA) is a student-led organization geared toward students who are interested in professions in healthcare. It is one of 10 national CTSOs endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. It is the only CTSO that is 100% healthcare.

Because of the widespread shortages of qualified healthcare professionals, not only in South Carolina, but also across the nation, HOSA’s mission is especially critical. Health science instructors are encouraged to integrate HOSA into their curriculum and classrooms.

MissionThe mission of HOSA is to enhance the delivery of compassionate, quality healthcare by providing opportunities for knowledge, skill, and leadership development of all health science education students, therefore, helping tudents to meet the needs of the healthcare community.

National HOSAHOSA is the only career and technical student organization designed exclusively to serve the needs of students interested in health professions. HOSA is endorsed by the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and the Health Science Technology Education Division.

Competitive EventsAll HOSA members are encouraged to participate in local, state, and national competitive events and recognition programs. The events cover a wide range of disciplines including Health Sciences, Health Professions, Emergency Preparedness, Leadership, and Teamwork.

MembershipHOSA’s membership has grown to 120,000 members through more than 46 affiliated states and over 3,000 chapters. Since being founded in 1976, more than 1.5 million career-minded healthcare students have participated in HOSA. Students who have completed high school may continue their involvement through postsecondary HOSA chapters and alumni activities.

Partners Healthcare is one of the fastest growing industry clusters in the nation. South Carolina faces a shortage of skilled healthcare workers, administrators, and nurses. As a result, opportunities for a future in healthcare have never been brighter. SC HOSA partners include healthcare facilities, hospital systems, colleges, and universities which provide sponsorships, scholarship, and support for state conferences. Four-year and two-year colleges alike have developed programs and focused efforts to ensure that our future healthcare needs are being met. Ask your guidance counselor or career specialist how you can get involved with SC HOSA.

SOUTH CAROLINA HEALTH OCCUPATIONS STUDENTS OF AMERICA

“South Carolina HOSA has given me the

experience and knowledge I need to become a

qualified healthcare professional. Without SC

HOSA, I could not have become the person I am

today. My scholarship from SC HOSA has helped

to jump-start my education and offset the ever-

increasing cost of a college education.”

Michael Brode, National HOSA president


www.hosa.org

www.schosa.org

The Hands of HOSA Mold

the Health of Tomorrow

South Carolina


SkillsUSA is a national partnership of students, teachers, and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. The same holds true for the South Carolina Association, as the organization provides unique opportunities for students to showcase their leadership ability and skill attainment through championship events.

Opening DoorsSkillsUSA South Carolina is open to all students currently enrolled in a training program in trade, industrial, technical, or health occupations. Its program is intended to be part of classroom instruction.

As participants in SkillsUSA, students develop character and self-confidence and build leadership, teamwork, citizenship, and communications skills. Focusing on the big picture, SkillsUSA also helps students understand the free enterprise system and the value of participating in community services.

One of the major benefits of this program is that students will find more doors open to employment, since they have access to the SkillsUSA Employment Network www.skillsusa.org/job.

Competitive EventsAll SkillsUSA members are encouraged to participate in local, state, and national competitive events and recognition programs. The events include:

• Leadership Development Contests• Occupationally Related Contests• Skilled and Technical Sciences Contests

SkillsUSA ChampionshipsThe SkillsUSA Championships showcase the best career and technical students in the nation through local, state, and national competitions. Recent contests have featured more than 5,400 students in nearly 100 separate events with about 2,000 judges and organizers.

MembershipThe South Carolina Association of SkillsUSA has more than 3,500 students, advisors, and professionals throughout the state.

Nationally, SkillsUSA has more than 305,000 members organized into 14,000 chapters in almost 55 state and territorial associations. More than 16,000 teachers and school administrators serve as SkillsUSA instructors and members. What’s more, 1,500 corporations, trade associations, and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA, attesting to the importance American businesses place on preparing students to work and compete in the global workplace.

GoalsAll SkillsUSA programs are related to the following seven major goals:

• Professional Development – preparing students for employment and successful careers

• Employment – increasing student awareness of quality job practices

and providing opportunities for student/employer contact

• Public Relations – making the general public aware of students’

accomplishments

• Ways and Means – planning and participating in fund-raising activities

to carry out chapters’ projects

• Community Service – Promoting goodwill in the community and

instilling a lifelong commitment to community service

• Social Activities – increasing cooperation among members in non-

classroom and business settings

• SkillsUSA Championships – offering students the opportunity to

demonstrate their skills through competitive activities

SKILLS USASC Career and Technical Student Organizations

www.skillsusa.org

www.scskillsusa.org


Technology Student Association Technology improves the way we live and manufacture goods. Advances, in turn, create even more advances so quickly it seems that if you blink, you’ve missed the latest development and the next on is on the way. The idea behind the Technology Student Association (TSA) is to help students get up to speed in some of the fastest growing industries in the U.S. and the world.

MissionThe mission of TSA is to teach members problem-solving, decision-making, critical-thinking, and leadership skills as they relate to design, communication, power, energy, transportation, engineering, manufacturing, construction, and biotechnology. TSA strives to meet the educational needs and challenges of all students in an increasingly and ever-changing technological world.

MembershipTSA is perfect for anyone interested in the kinds of technology that make our lives easier. The focus is on exciting career fields and TSA offers interesting, hands-on learning experiences and competitions. General national membership information:

• 150,000 middle and high school student members

• 2,500 teachers and advisors• 40% female representation• 30% minority representation• 75% college-bound • 47 state delegations

Speaking of Interesting ProjectsTSA gives students exciting learning experiences with a large dose of technology thrown in. For instance, the F1 Challenge is a project and challenge based on technology standards that promote engineering among students and give them access to the latest technology in the engineering and manufacturing world. This team competition gives students the opportunity to design, analyze, manufacture, test, and race a 1/20th scale Formula One (F1) car.

Or, students can go robotic and learn how to build, program, and use robots in different environments. Initially, students learn to manipulate the robot and

program it to conduct repeatable tasks. Ultimately, they build a robot located in a remote location via a televised image.

BenefitsTSA provides many more opportunities for leadership development and training as students interact with the world and participate in competitions that range from structural engineering to CAD and public speaking.

Awards, Scholarships, and RecognitionThese are programs designed to promote TSA and recognize individuals who perform well. Students can receive Achievement Awards, Scholarships, and Recognition Awards.

Exciting Careers

TSA is an integral part of Technology Education programs. Members of TSA gain experience in a variety of high-tech career fields, including:

• Aerospace

• Computers

• Research & design

• Radio/TV production

• Graphics/imaging processing

• Biotechnology

• Environmental impact studies

• Alternative energy

• Electronics/fiber optics

• Structural engineering

• Lasers/holography

• Robotics

TECHNOLOGY STUDENT ASSOCIATION

Iwww.tsaweb.org

www.sctsa.org



Career Guidance Information Sources

Check out these comprehensive sources of career and education information, which are available through your school or public libraries:

SCOIS (South Carolina Occupational Information System): www.scois.net. An electronic database of information about careers, salaries, job requirements, educational options, scholarships, and more.

O*NET (Occupational Information Network): online.onetcenter.org. A national occupational information database that helps students make informed decisions about education, training, career choices, and work.

COIN (Coin Career Guidance System): community.coin3.com. A compre-hensive software program with career and college planning information, especially for South Carolina students.

Workkeys: www.workreadysc.org. A comprehensive resource for information about the South Carolina Career Readiness Certificate – how and where to qualify, as well as its value to students and the community.

kuder: sc.kuder.com. A comprehensive online college and career planning system with links to government and educational information and organizations.

Web Resources

Inside South Carolina• Career Guidance Model, ed.sc.gov/cgm• South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, www.scchamber.net• South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, www.che400.state.sc.us• South Carolina Department of Education, ed.sc.gov• South Carolina Employment Security Commission, www.sces.org• South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission,

www.sctuitiongrants.com• South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, www.scicu.org• South Carolina Occupational Information System, www.scois.net• South Carolina Public Colleges and Universities,

www.state.sc.us/edu/univcoll.html• South Carolina Technical College System, www.sctechsystem.com• Workkeys, www.workreadysc.org• America’s Career Resource Network Association, www.acrna.net

Outside South Carolina• Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB),

www.todaysmilitary.com/app/tm/nextsteps/asvab• Career Interests Game, career.missouri.edu/students/explore/

thecareerinterestsgame.php• Career key, www.careerkey.org• Coin Career College System, community.coin3.com• College Board, www.collegeboard.com• Holland’s Self-Directed Search, www.self-directed-search.com• kuder, www.sc.kuder.com• Mapping your Future, www.mapping-your-future.org• Occupational Supply and Demand, occsupplydemand.net• O*NET Online, online.onetcenter.org• Occupational Outlook Handbook, www.bls.gov/oco• The Princeton Review, www.review.com• Salary Information, www.salary.com

* Web site addresses were correct at time of publication but may have changed. If an address is no longer valid, please use an Internet search engine to locate the resource.

Note: Local South Carolina schools and districts may choose to use fewer career clusters, clusters that are organized differently, or clusters with alternative names.

A Guide to Career and Technical Student Organizations, © 2009 South Carolina Department of Education with South Carolina Education and Economic Development Act funding.

Published by the South Carolina Department of Education in partnership with the Office of Career and Technology Education. Designed and produced by Laine Communications (www.lainecommunications.com)


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