The application process for SkillsUSA membership has been a bit on the confusing side.  After originally doing some reading about the contest, I thought that it would be best to start at the local level and work my way up.  I found that the SkillsUSA advisor at Central Piedmont Community College was in the automotive department.  I had the geospatial program chair contact them to see what I had to do to get in.  I soon found that some of these advisers are program specific.  If they weren’t then I might have heard of the program a lot earlier than I did.  So there was not help there.

I was able to speak with someone from the NC chapter and they were eager to help me.  I was told that I needed to win at the local level to compete nationally.  Since there is not a geospatial technology competition at the local level, then it would be based on if anyone else from NC entered.  They took my information and told me they would take care of it.  We’ll it has been several weeks now and still after a few follow up emails I have no membership.  I also found out that the protocol for this national competition is a little different than some of the other competitions.  I do not need to compete at the state level to attend nationals.  It is more of a direct open competition since it is at the college level.

This week, I decided to reevaluate my membership.  I went back to the Digital Quest website and found a SkillsUSA signup form.  This form is for those who desire direct college membership and do not have support of a chapter at the college level.  I figured that I could fall into this category, so I printed the form and filled it out.  I looked up the NC membership dues ($6) and the natioanl dues ($8) and calculated a total of $14 for membership.  This would be the first money I have spent so far.  And now that I think about it, I did not include this in my original budget.  I am offically working in the red now.  With all of that said, I mailed off my application with payment to the national office in VA.  I will be looking for some type of confirmation in near future.  Another step taken as my anticipation builds!