Devon Cushing, a graphic design and production student at Troup High School in LaGrange, was elected to serve as a national officer for SkillsUSA. Cushing was elected through a formal election process in the SkillsUSA House of Delegates during the 55th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held in Louisville, Kentucky, in June. 

As a SkillsUSA national officer, Cushing will serve as a student leader and advocate for the SkillsUSA organization and will lead SkillsUSA members during both of our annual national conferences. Cushing will speak on behalf of SkillsUSA before students, instructors, education administrators, legislative leaders and representatives of business and industry. He will also represent the national organization at various events.

“Devon believes strongly that CTE prepares students for the future,” said Tim Lawrence, executive director of SkillsUSA. “I look forward to working with him this year.”

To run for a national office, SkillsUSA members must follow the election process for their local training program, school and state. Once they have made it to the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, candidates must then pass a knowledge test, interview for candidacy and begin the campaign process to student delegates representing the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference is the largest and most diverse showcase of skill training in the nation. More than 6,400 students compete nationally in hands-on skills and leadership events. 

SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry to strengthen our nation’s skilled workforce. Driven by employer demand, SkillsUSA helps students develop necessary personal and workplace skills along with technical skills grounded in academics. This SkillsUSA Framework empowers every student to succeed at work and in life, while helping to close the “skills gap” in which millions of positions go unfilled. Through SkillsUSA’s championships program and curricula, employers have long ensured schools are teaching relevant technical skills, and with SkillsUSA’s new credentialing process, they can now assess how ready potential employees are for the job. 

SkillsUSA has more than 360,000 annual members nationwide in high schools, colleges and middle schools, covering over 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and is recognized by the U.S. departments of Education and Labor as integral to career and technical education. For more information visit skillsusa.org.