SkillsUSA Minnesota State Conference Information

The 46th Annual Minnesota SkillsUSA Championships Conference will be held on Friday, April 5th, Saturday, April 6th and Sunday, April 7th, 2013. The conference will be housed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington Mpls. South, 7800 Normandale Boulevard, Bloomington, MN 55435, and (952) 835-7800. Skill Contests will be held across the metro area. Buses will be available to transport students to and from most events.

Updated for 2013!

There are some new format changes for this year’s conference packet. Registration needs to be submitted by using the newly redesigned state conference Excel Spreadsheet. Simply fill it out and send it electronically to the state SkillsUSA office. Please look for the “NEW” document and follow the instructions carefully. You will also notice that there is a “NEW” Contest Grid Chart for all (87) contests. The Grid Chart provides you with an overview of the number of contestants/contest, whether it is a team or individual contest, contest codes, notebook requirements, etc. All forms are located on the website at: http://www.mnskillsusa.org/ I hope that you find the improvements easy to use and navigate.

To help the state SkillsUSA office with accuracy there will be NO additions after March 8th
There will be NO On-Site substitutions this year at all contests. No exceptions!

ITEM 1  -  CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE

• Each student who attends the conference should participate in at least one competitive event and must attend all scheduled conference activities.
• ONE ADVISOR MUST ACCOMPANY EVERY 10 STUDENTS ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE. Chapter advisors should assume the responsibility of seeing that students report to the competitive events they have registered for and that rules of conduct are maintained. Students may not stay at the hotel without an accompanying advisor.

ITEM 2   -  RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR COMPETITIVE EVENTS

• All participants must be paid active members of State and National SkillsUSA as of February 4, 2013.
  
• Students must compete in the contest area that aligns with their occupational objective for the current school year.
• Participants may enter (1) skill contest and (3) general contests as long as they can work it into their schedule. This is excluding Mechanics Dexterity, Job Interview and all team events. Please remind students that they are eligible for only one national contest regardless of how many contests they win at the state level. IF A STUDENT WISHES TO COMPETE IN MORE THAN (1) SKILLED CONTEST AREA - ADVISOR MUST RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM THE STATE DIRECTOR BEFORE SIGNING-UP!

ITEM 3  -  REGISTRATION COST FOR CONFERENCE

• Please register each student attending the conference by using the registration form that is located on the website http://www.mnskillsusa.org. Registration is due Friday, February 15th, 2013.
• EARLY BIRD Registration fees are $100.00 per person. Registration fees include registration materials, supplies, awards, bus service, evening entertainment, Awards Breakfast, etc.
• LATE Registration Fees will be $125.00 per person for registration arriving after February 16th, 2013.
• Make checks payable to SkillsUSA Minnesota. Chapter advisors are responsible for picking up their chapter registration materials at the registration table at the DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington Mpls. South on Friday, April 5th, 2013.

Please Mail Conference Registration Form to:
Jennifer Polz, Executive Director
SkillsUSA Minnesota
P.O. Box 29286
Minneapolis, MN 55429

Or FAX FORMS INTO the STATE OFFICE@: 763-560-1936

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 17th, 2012

ITEM 4  -  HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Hotel Rates PER ROOM, PER NIGHT for 2013 Conference

• $122.00 x 14.275% tax = $139.42 PER ROOM, PER NIGHT FOR ONE OR TWO PEOPLE IN A ROOM

• $137.00 x 14.275% tax = $156.56 PER ROOM, PER NIGHT FOR THREE PEOPLE IN A ROOM ($50.66 per person)

• $147.00 x 14.275% tax = $167.98 PER ROOM, PER NIGHT FOR FOUR PEOPLE IN A ROOM ($40.85 per person)

The hotel will not guarantee room types. If you request a double due to three or four people in a room you may get a king with a roll away or a pull out sofa.)

“NEW” The Hotel Reservation Form is in a Word Template Spreadsheet this year directly from the hotel. To ensure a smooth reservation process they ask that all conference attendees use this form. Please e-mail this directly to the Reservations Manager Nicole Nault. Her e-mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Please use the Hotel-School Template Hotel Reservation form for the Double Tree by Hilton Bloomington Mpls South.

NOTE: “NEW Changes on Credit Card Policy for 2013”
The Double Tree by Hilton Bloomington Mpls South has a new credit card policy in place to help protect your privacy and personal information. Please be advised that they will no longer extend credit for hotel services on the strength of a Purchase Order only. Please use the provided CREDIT CARD AUTHORIZATION FORM – that is attached. This document will be faxed to a Secured Fax Number in the accounting department at the hotel.

NOTE: MAILED or FAXED in applications will NOT BE accepted and will be discarded upon RECEIPT without notification.

Please contact the State SkillsUSA Office if you have questions or are having problems.
Thank You!

1. The hotel must receive room reservations by March 5, 2013. Following that date, the hotel will only accept reservations on a first come, first serve basis as long as rooms are available.
2. Advisors are responsible for registering students and must accompany their group when checking in. Advisors are responsible for checking out their groups and payment of their hotel bill and incidental charges.
3. Please call the hotel to confirm your reservations before you arrive. This should help avoid problems and changes when you arrive at the hotel to check in.

DEADLINE: March 5, 2013

ITEM 5  -  REGISTRATION, PERSONAL and LIABILITY RELEASE FORMS & CODE OF CONDUCT

2013 MSC-NLSC Form 1 To insure that the major objectives of our Skill Conference are met, all participants, including advisors, will be required to adhere to a Code of Conduct and ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST SIGN THE Registration, Personal and Liability Release Form (MSC/NLSC Form 1) of the Minnesota Association of SkillsUSA. Medical and Insurance Information is requested in case of an emergency on this form. Photocopy the form (both sides) and get appropriate signatures and information from each person attending the conference. Please mail or fax them in with your registration materials or bring them to the registration table at the conference. These forms must be in turned in before you can receive your registration materials.

ITEM 6  -  REFUNDS

Refunds will be extended only in the event of extenuating circumstances. Contact the Executive Director in advance of the conference if you are in doubt. No Refunds after: March 8, 2013.

ITEM 7  -  HOTEL POOL

The hotel has a swimming pool. Encourage students to bring swimsuits. A reminder--SkillsUSA members will be subject to the same "Pool Rules" as other guests of the hotel.

ITEM 8  -  CONFERENCE OBSERVERS

Student Observers must be officially registered, pay the $50 registration fee, follow all the rules and regulations of the conference, and be chaperoned by an adult advisor.

ITEM 9 -  CONFERENCE GUESTS PASSES FOR SUNDAY BREAKFAST BUFFET

Advisors or students who wish to have a guest attend the Awards Breakfast must register those guests by March 1, 2013. For $35.00, paid in advance, a guest will receive a name badge that will allow them entrance to the Sunday morning breakfast buffet and awards ceremony. Use the Guest Registration form located on the website for advanced registration. Limited Breakfast Guest passes will be available at the conference for $35.00 through the alumni committee. No guest passes will be sold at conference headquarters.

ITEM 10 -  AWARDS FOR COMPETITIVE EVENTS

First (gold), second (silver), and third (bronze) place medallion will be awarded for each competitive event. It is mandatory that all competitors attend the awards ceremony. Students not present will forfeit any award, medallion, and the right to compete at the national level. If a student has a legitimate excuse for not attending the ceremony, the Executive Director must be notified in advance, in writing and an alternate student selected to receive any awards that might be earned. Please provide the Executive Director with the name of the alternate.

ADVISORS: Please remember that Students and Advisors should all dress in Official Dress or Professional Business attire for the Awards Ceremony! NO JEANS, T-Shirts or TENNIS SHOES are allowed! Let's show our Business/Industry Partners, School Administrators, Family and Friends the First Class Organization that we are. We are "Champions at Work"!

ITEM 11  -  CONTEST REGISTRATION

Contest Registration needs to be submitted by using the newly redesigned state conference Excel Spreadsheet. Simply fill it out and send it electronically to the state SkillsUSA office. Please look for the “NEW” document and follow the instructions carefully. You will also notice that there is a “NEW” Contest Grid Chart for all (87) contests. The Grid Chart provides you with an overview of the number of contestants/contest, whether it is a team or individual contest, contest codes, notebook requirements, etc. Due to limited equipment and space at a host school, contests will have a maximum number of contestants a school can register. Please provide a local competition for your students, judged by industry; to determine which students will best represent your local chapter in each area.

ITEM 12 - THEME FOR THE 2013 CONTESTS

The SkillsUSA competition theme for the 2012-2013 school year is SkillsUSA: Champions at Work, "Prepared with the Skills America Needs".

The topic to be addressed by contestants in the Chapter Display, Prepared Speech and Promotional Bulletin Board contests is how our theme, SkillsUSA: Champions at Work, "Prepared with the SKILLS America needs" relates to our national program of work in the area of Professional Development.

Within this topic, contestants might illustrate or discuss any of the following:

• Based on research from employers, what skills do Americans need?
• How does SkillsUSA provide the skills needed?
• How does participation in SkillsUSA provide members an edge in the workforce?
• How does involvement in SkillsUSA provide a competitive edge to America in the global economy?
• By participating in SkillsUSA events, how will you be more marketable in the workforce?
• What do SkillsUSA members need to do to be prepared?
• What skills have you gained through SkillsUSA that will make you prepared to enter your chosen field?
• How does SkillsUSA continue to adapt to prepare students with these needed skills?
• What principles was America founded on, how are those still relevant today?
• Why do American citizens need to have a variety of skills?
• How do we establish an attitude of life-long learning through the SkillsUSA programs?
• What is the American workforce projected to look like when you graduate, how does this impact your plans?

ITEM 13 - Post Secondary OPTION STUDENTS

HIGH SCHOOL students registered in post secondary programs as “Option Students” are considered HIGH SCHOOL students. They should be signed up as HIGH SCHOOL members with National SkillsUSA and a note made on your registration form specifying them as HIGH SCHOOL students so that they compete on the HIGH SCHOOL level.

ITEM 14  -  SPECIFIC CONTEST INFORMATION & UPDATES - "FRIDAY FLASH"

The Minnesota SkillsUSA "CONTEST UPDATES" will be posted ONLY on the WEBISTE this year! LOOK EACH FRIDAY for the "FRIDAY FLASH". PLEASE USE THE LATEST VERSION OF THE TECHNICAL STANDARDS - "2013-2014".

E-mails will be sent to the Advisors alerting them of "NEW" Contest UPDATES. We will also be using the Social Networking Sites of FACEBOOK and TWITTER to reach out to students and advisors. Please start looking for UPDATES on Friday, January 18th - If no additional information is received on a contest, the rules and regulations covering our contests will be based on those found in the SkillsUSA Championships, Technical Standards, except for clothing. State regulation regarding clothing is appropriate and safe dress for the competition you are participating in.

RECEIVE A FREE GIFT FROM THE SkillsUSA STATE ASSOCIATION
(1) Complimentary Copy of the 2013-2014 SkillsUSA Championships Technical Standards CD Package will be sent to each high school, technical center or college campus, once membership has been submitted to the National SkillsUSA Office.

ITEM 15 - JOB SKILL DEMONSTRATION CONTEST "A" and "OPEN"

If there is a National Skill Contest in the area of the job skill, the student should enter as Job Skill Demo "A". FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, ALL CURRENT NATIONAL CONTESTS ARE LISTED UNDER "ELIGILIBILITY".

If there is NO National Skill contest in the area of demonstration the student should enter the Job Skill Demo "OPEN" Contest. Student demonstrations should be based on an entry-level skill in the skill area in which they are currently training.

ITEM 16  – NOMINATION FOR ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

Please consider nominating advisors that you know are doing a good job with their local chapters. Deadline for Advisor of the Year applications is MARCH 1st, 2013. The application form is available on the website under the Student and Advisor Tabs under forms. Please see that your student members receive this information.

ITEM 17 - JOB INTERVIEW CONTEST

All registered students may compete in the SkillsUSA Job Interview contest.

Please remind your students that the sole purpose of their education is to obtain a good job. Therefore, this contest - which IS a National Contest - is an excellent way to practice interview skills and get their résumé critiqued by others. The judges of this contest are interested in seeing more college students enter this contest. Specific Contest Information will be available in February. There will be separate information for the High School and College Competitors.

The following rules apply to the competition:

• Contestants must apply for a job in a trade, industrial, technical, or health occupation.
• Contestants must apply for a job which he or she is now qualified or will be qualified for at the completion of the current school year.
• Contestants will prepare one letter of application for employment as well as four résumés. Both the letter and the résumé must be typed.
• Specific contest information will be POSTED on the WEBSITE in mid-February. Please have student paperwork ready to send when the information arrives.

ITEM 18 - WINNERS GOING ON TO NATIONAL COMPETITION

There is a National SkillsUSA policy that students may enter ONLY ONE CONTEST at the National Conference. Please make your students aware that although they may enter more than one state contest, if they should happen to win first place in more than one contest, they will have to choose which one they will compete in at the National level. This does include team contests!

ITEM 19 - ALUMNI AUCTION

The SkillsUSA Minnesota Alumni committee is again asking for donations to help with the Alumni Auction. The Alumni appreciate your donations and attendance at the auction. This auction is the major fundraiser for this group. Alumni are vital to the operation of the organization and its conferences. Their funds allow them to attend our conferences and help us out. Become a member and/or support their fund raising efforts. THANKS!

ITEM 20 - CONTEST PRIZE DONATIONS

Many of you already work at obtaining prizes for our contests from your advisory committee members, suppliers and other industry partners of your programs. If you don’t, we invite you to assist in doing this. Prizes should be clearly marked as to whom they are from (name & address of donating company) and whom they should be awarded to (contest area, 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, HIGH SCHOOL or COLLEGE winners) and brought to conference headquarters on Friday, April 5, 2013. Thanks for your help. If everyone does their part, our contests can all have prizes! Look for the Prize Donation Form on Website!

Please download contest registration codes here.

PLEASE NOTE:
THESE CODES MUST BE USED ON REGISTRATION FORM IN ORDER TO ASSURE STUDENTS ARE ASSIGNED TO CORRECT CONTESTS.

SkillsUSA Minnesota Championships Conference

TENTATIVE AGENDA
(download .PDF here )