SkillsUSA Illinois Brings Thousands for Workplace Competitions

PEORIA -- Our city will soon be filled with students eager to show they are ready for successful careers.

SkillsUSA Illinois will host its Championships workforce development competitions April 25-27 at the Peoria Civic Center, and it promises to be an event to remember. Learn more at the group's detailed program for the event:

Thousands of students representing schools from Chicagoland to deep Southern Illinois are headed to Peoria for their version of a call-up to the big leagues: showing off how their skills match up against their peers and in front of potential employers for the successful careers they seek, in Illinois’ premier workforce development showcase.

Students will compete in more than 150 career competitions April 25-27 at the Peoria Civic Center, as the culmination for a school year dedicated to career development through the SkillsUSA Illinois program. The SkillsUSA Illinois 2024 Championships conference is sponsored again this year by Caterpillar Inc. and the City of Peoria.

The three-day celebration of students’ and schools’ commitment to career and technical education (CTE), all made possible by hundreds of industry partners, trade associations and labor organizations who volunteer countless hours to judge the competitions as students race against the clock and each other to prove their expertise in manufacturing, electronics, computer-aided drafting, culinary arts, construction, hospitality, human services and much more.

Students arrive in Peoria after advancing from qualifying and regional Championships competitions. Winners of the statewide Championships on this weekend will go on to compete in the national SkillsUSA Championships this June in Atlanta, GA.

Some of the competing schools traveled to Springfield in early March for the first SkillsUSA Illinois Lobby Day, where they met legislators at the State Capitol and advocated for expanded funding and flexibility for CTE programs. SkillsUSA programming is supported by a state grant under the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship program. Gov. JB Pritzker has proposed a $10 million increase in CTE funding for next year.

SkillsUSA Illinois’ mission is to help employers statewide address a growing skills gap with its nonprofit partnership of students, instructors, and industry to introduce and encourage young people about employment needs and the skilled workforce required to meet them. “We are so grateful to Caterpillar, the City of Peoria, and our dedicated industry partners and volunteers who make these Championships and all of our work to help connect students and careers a big success,” said SkillsUSA Illinois Executive Director Eric Hill. “Our state needs more skilled workers, and the Championships provides a true spotlight into the excellent work being done across the state to meet those needs while we work to grow more talent and create new opportunities.”

A detailed list of the Championships’ participating schools and conference agenda is included below, and more information is available at: https://www.skillsusaillinois.org/the-championships.

WHAT: SkillsUSA Illinois’ Elite Career Championships 2024 competition

WHO: Nearly 2,000 students from more than 80 Illinois schools

Hundreds of industry partners, trade associations and labor unions volunteering to run the competitions

Event sponsors Caterpillar Inc. and the City of Peoria

SkillsUSA Illinois staff

State legislators (invited)

WHEN: Thursday-Saturday, April 25-27

Event is open to the public 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, April 26

(Media are encouraged to attend Friday morning, but we can make other accommodations as needed for Thursday, or for Saturday’s awards ceremony. See the full schedule below)

WHERE: Peoria Civic Center

201 SW Jefferson Avenue

Peoria, IL 61602

Learn more about SkillsUSA Illinois and its innovative work to connect students with meaningful careers: https://www.skillsusaillinois.org/.

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SkillsUSA Illinois 2024 Championships conference details:

EVENT AGENDA

Thursday, April 25

· 7 a.m. – Career competitions begin

· 2 p.m.-6:30 p.m. – Skills Fest, and SkillsUSA Illinois Store is open

· 4 p.m. – Hotel check-in begins

· 7 p.m. – Opening session, followed by Career Competition Orientations

Friday, April 26

· 6 a.m. – Career competitions begin

· 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – Championships: open to the public

· 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Lunch

· 3:30 p.m. – Joint Delegate Session

· 7:05 p.m. – Champions Night at Peoria Chiefs baseball game (Dozer Park)

Saturday, April 27

· 8:30 a.m. – Awards sessions

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Central Illinois

· Bloomington Area Career Center - Bloomington, IL

· Bunker Hill High School - Bunker Hill, IL

· Clinton High School - Clinton, IL

· Clinton Junior High School - Clinton, IL

· Danville Area Community College - Danville, IL

· East Peoria Community High School - East Peoria, IL

· Illinois Central College - East Peoria, IL

· Eureka High School - Eureka, IL

· Metamora Township High School - Metamora, IL

· Morton High School - Morton, IL

· Heartland Community College - Normal, IL

· Pekin Community High School - Pekin, Il

· Peoria Public Schools - Peoria, IL

· Carver Community Center - Peoria, IL

· Livingston Area Career Center - Pontiac, IL

· Capital Area Career Center - Springfield, IL

· Lincoln Land Community College - Springfield, IL

Chicago

· Thomas Kelly College Prep - Chicago, IL

DuPage County (suburban Chicago)

· Addison Trail High School - Addison, IL

· Technology Center of DuPage - Addison, IL

· Downers Grove South High School - Downers Grove, IL

· Elk Grove High School - Elk Grove Village, IL

· York Community High School - Elmhurst, IL

· Naperville Central High School - Naperville, IL

· Neuqua Valley High School - Naperville, IL

· Willowbrook High School - Villa Park, IL

Metro East

· Belleville West High School - Belleville, IL

· Southwestern Illinois College - Belleville, IL

· The Center for Academic and Vocational Excellence - Belleville, IL

· Roxana Sr High School - Roxana, IL

North Suburbs of Chicagoland

· College of Lake County - Grayslake, IL

· Lake County Tech Campus - Grayslake, IL

· Hampshire High School - Hampshire, IL

· Johnsburg High School - Johnsburg, IL

· Marengo Community High School - Marengo, IL

· The Community Works, NFP - Waukegan, IL

Northern Illinois

· Kishwaukee Education Consortium - Malta, IL

· Kishwaukee College - Malta, IL

· Grundy Area Vocational Center - Morris, IL

· Galesburg Area Vocational Center - Galesburg, IL

· Carl Sandburg College - Galesburg, IL

· Kankakee Area Career Center - Bourbonnais, IL

NW Chicago/Cook County suburbs

· Maine West High School - Des Plaines, IL

· William Rainey Harper College - Palatine, IL

· Maine East High School - Park Ridge, IL

· Maine South High School - Park Ridge , IL

· Triton College - River Grove, IL

South Suburbs of Chicago

· Bolingbrook High School - Bolingbrook, IL

· Thornton Fractional Center - Calumet City, IL

· Bloom Trail High School - Chicago Heights, IL

· Homewood/Flossmoor High School - Flossmoor, IL

· Lincoln Way East High School - Frankfort, IL

· Joliet Central High School - Joliet, IL

· Joliet Junior College - Joliet, IL

· Joliet West High School - Joliet, IL

· Lockport Township High School East - Lockport, IL

· Lincoln Way Central High School - New Lenox, IL

· Lincoln Way West High School - New Lenox, IL

· Carl Sandburg High School - Orland Park, IL

· A A Stagg High School - Palos Hills, IL

· Peotone High School - Peotone, IL

· Peotone Junior High School - Peotone, IL

· Romeoville High School - Romeoville, IL

· Wilco Area Career Center - Romeoville, IL

· Argo Community High School - Summit, IL

· Victor J Andrew High School - Tinley Park, IL

Southern Illinois

· Carbondale Community High School - Carbondale, IL

· Southern Illinois University-Carbondale - Carbondale, IL

· Mount Vernon High School Area Career Center - Mount Vernon, IL

· Wabash Valley College - Mt. Carmel, IL

· Career Center of Southern Illinois - Red Bud, IL

· Sparta High School - Sparta, IL

West Suburbs of Chicago

· Metea Valley High School - Aurora, IL

· Waubonsie Valley High School - Aurora, IL

· West Aurora High School - Aurora, IL

· Central High School - Burlington, IL

· Geneva High School - Geneva, IL

· Fox Valley Career Center - Maple Park, IL

· Oswego East High School - Oswego, IL

· Oswego High School - Oswego, IL

· Saint Charles East High School - Saint Charles, IL

· Indian Valley Vocational Center - Sandwich, IL

· Waubonsee Community College - Sugar Grove, IL

ABOUT Skills USA Illinois

SkillsUSA Illinois is a state and national membership association serving high school, college, and middle school students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations, including health occupations, and for further education.

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers, and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student excel.

Visit SkillsUSA Illinois online: https://www.skillsusaillinois.org/

About SkillsUSA Illinois and its mission: https://www.skillsusaillinois.org/about-us

Calendar of events and programs: https://www.skillsusaillinois.org/events

For interested educators: https://www.skillsusaillinois.org/educators

For interested students: https://www.skillsusaillinois.org/students

Videos of recent SkillsUSA events:

· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1Xq8yCyFvk

· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAfR3V878Kw&t=11s