SkillsUSA Career Essentials Suite, Adult Learner Experiences

Skills USA

SkillsUSA Career Essentials: Adult Learner Experiences curriculum builds skills through workplace-based authentic experiences and applications.

What This Includes

Skills addressed: Continuous Improvement, Initiative, Collaboration, Customer Service, Change Management

Career Essentials suite

SkillsUSA Skills Framework includes personal, workplace, and technical skills
Curriculum available in Exploratory, Fundamentals, Advanced, and Adult levels (based on age and reading levels)

Adult Learner Experience course

Five workplace-based units
Designed for ages 20+ (Advanced course available for ages 17–19)
Fifty hours of instruction and activities
Units incorporate Instructor Guides for project-based learning activities

Delivery

Curriculum can be delivered through in-person, hybrid or online models
Online curriculum can be delivered synchronously or asynchronously
Mobile-responsive and available on smartphones, tablets, and computers

Assessments

Pre- and post-assessments
Scoring rubrics
Capstone to assess skills in authentic context

Badges

E-badges awarded following successful completion of each unit
Career Essentials credential awarded when a user passes assessments at 80 percent or above

Key Takeaways

SkillsUSA Career Essentials courses are designed to be flexible, used on a variety of platforms, and integrated into existing courses or used on their own.
The Adult Learning course teaches career readiness skills and enables users to create authentic materials for career development. Learners can select materials and scenarios from their workplace or sector of interest.
The Career Readiness Capstone allows users to review previous units, incorporate feedback about any area of career readiness needing more development, and build a portfolio of authentic materials that can be used immediately to apply for jobs.

Background

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers, and industry representatives working together to ensure that America has a skilled workforce. The curriculum has received input from industry and business leaders.