If you could rewind to your first day in high school (maybe even junior high), would you choose the same path when it comes to course selection?

Or, would you rethink those choices, reconsider your future and develop a skillset that will offer hands-on training?

The idea came to mind recently, when I was invited to attend the SkillsUSA VIP tour during the organization’s annual convention in Grand Island.

If you are unfamiliar with Skills-

USA, the career and technical education organization provides practical training for more than 300,000 students worldwide. Its framework offers personal, workplace and technical skills, based in an academic setting. Students involved leave school job-ready, with the necessary skills required to achieve personal and work success.

Following a presentation by SkillsUSA board members, we were able to tour the competition floor, where high school and college students competed in a wide range of categories. Most contests were for individuals; however, a few - like building construction and crime scene investigation - required teamwork.

Our first stop featured drone technology, where teams comprised of two students piloted a drone, following flight patterns and completed a written test. Summerland’s drone team earned first place. Congratulations!

Next stop: the collegiate electrical competition, where students worked off a schematic and completed several wiring projects. In the cabinet-making section, students constructed a single cabinet unit, while across the aisle, each building construction team framed a small storage shed, following a blueprint.

In the next building, students competed in job skills demonstrations, photography, web design, video and animation, CNC mill and lathe, automotive service technology, motorcycle service, diesel technology, architectural drafting, commercial baking, culinary arts, nurse assisting, first aid/CPR, cosmetology, information technology services, robotics and more.

I was impressed with the variety of competitions students may choose from - there are more than 100 categories. The partnerships between SkillsUSA and local businesses is impressive, too. Industry leaders supplied semitrailers, motorcycles, vehicles, lumber and more.

As I walked through the competition area, I wondered why all students do not - and aren’t required to - participate in Skills-

USA. Students have an opportunity to explore career paths, industries and fields based on personal and professional goals. There’s something for everyone.

With a rapidly-changing work world, employers continue to struggle to find a skilled workforce. The “skills gap” will be costly. In manufacturing alone, the skills gap may leave up to 2.4 million positions unfilled by 2028, causing a potential economic impact of $2.5 trillion, according to a Deloitte report. It will affect our small, rural communities, too.

We need to encourage our youth to investigate career opportunities available through CTE programs at our local school and we, as business and community leaders, need to make an investment in the success of these programs. What better way to give back to the community by sharing our expertise and experiences.