SkillsUSA awards

The SkillsUSA Chapter Excellence Program (CEP) recognized Ozarks Technical Community College’s Career Center as a Silver Level SkillsUSA Chapter of Distinction. College officials and student officers accepted the award at the SkillsUSA State Leadership & Skills Conference, held Thursday, April 5 at State Technical College in Linn, Missouri.

The Chapter Excellence Program honors chapter achievement relative to the SkillsUSA framework of developing personal, workplace and technical skills. Every SkillsUSA chapter is encouraged to participate in CEP, and there are three award levels to recognize program involvement. The first two levels are acknowledged by a chapter’s state association and the third level is recognized nationally. Each level is designed to give chapters a benchmark for success and future improvement, which leads to stronger chapters and more prepared students. The more a chapter applies the framework, the greater the chance for CEP honors.

This is the first year the OTC Career Center has achieved CEP recognition.

“We are so proud of our chapter officers and members,” said Cynthia Phillips, OTC coordinator of high school technical programs. “By planning and implementing successful college events like Manufacturing Day, the Car Show and Job Fair, our students have developed the critical skills that led to this award while also preparing for their future success in the workforce.”

SkillsUSA is a national organization that serves teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations, including health occupations. More than 335,000 students and advisors join SkillsUSA each year, organized into more than 18,000 local chapters and 53 state and territorial associations.