SkillsUSA State Competition Prep for Students

PDF Study Guide: Alabama SkillsUSA Statesman Award

Skills USA Framework
Workplace Skills Component
  • Planning, Organizing and Management - Processes to be efficient and productive

  • Teamwork - working with others to achieve a common goal

  • Decision making - Ability to choose between options

  • Multicultural Sensitivity - Respecting those who are different from yourself

  • Leadership - Igniting human potential and performance

  • Communication - Sending and receiving clear messages

Technical Skills Component

  • Safety and Health - Following workplace health, wellness and safety guidelines

  • Computer and Technology Literacy - Effective use of technology

  • Professional Development - Intentional learning experiences that enhance your career path

  • Service Orientation - Meeting the needs of internal and external customers

  • Job-Specific Skills - Unique knowledge and skills required by a job

Personal Skills Component

  • Responsibility - Taking ownership of my work, my behavior, and my actions

  • Self-Motivation - Exhibiting a passion for life and career

  • Adaptability/Flexibility - Embracing change

  • Work Ethic - Putting forth my best effort to meet expectations

  • Professionalism - Meeting the behavioral expectations of others

  • Integrity - Doing the right thing in a reliable way

Alabama SkillsUSA Knowledge Test Study Guide

Alabama Specific Knowledge

  • What is the official website for “Alabama SkillsUSA”?

  • What website is used to enter SkillsUSA Membership?

  • Who is the Alabama SkillsUSA High School State Director?

  • Who is the Alabama SkillsUSA College/Post-Secondary State Director?


Personal Skills



  • Define Integrity

  • Define honesty

  • Describe the difference between responsibility and excuses

Work Ethic

  • List and describe the five characteristics of a good work ethic


  • Describe how to demonstrate maturity

  • Identify the steps of the Impulse Strategy

  • List the personality traits of a confident person

  • Define self-confidence

  • Describe the difference between desired image and perceived image

  • List the guidelines for presenting a positive image (see the Leadership Handbook)


  • List the traits of dependability

  • List the traits of consistency

  • List the components of responsibility

  • List the components of personal well-being


  • Identify the steps of the Creative Process

  • Describe the value of a strong support system

  • Describe the importance of a backup plan or “Plan B”


  • Describe the difference between mentors and coaches

  • Describe the ability to take initiative

  • Identify the components of the STAR question response method

  • Describe the benefits of a positive attitude


Workplace Skills


Decision Making

  • List the steps in the Decision Making process

  • Define reasoning

Multicultural Sensitivity and Awareness

  • Define the key terms related to culture and diversity

    • Diversity

    • Multicultural

    • Sensitivity

Planning, Organizing and Management

  • List examples of tasks that are:

    • Urgent, Important

    • Urgent, Not important

    • Not urgent, Important

    • Not urgent, Not important

  • Identify when it is appropriate to work in different quadrants of the time management matrix

  • Describe the difference between reactive behavior and proactive behavior

  • List and describe the steps in the time management process


  • List examples of situations when it is appropriate to use different communication methods

    • Face-to-face

    • E-mail

    • Phone call

    • Social networking messages

    • Text messages

    • Letters

  • List and describe the components of the POWERR formula


  • List and describe the components of the OTFD conflict mitigation tool


  • Define the components of the strengths equations

  • List the characteristics of a leader

  • List the characteristics of a leading follower

  • Describe the difference between a leader and a leading follower


Technical Skills Grounded in Academics


Service Orientation

  • Describe the difference between internal customers and external customers

  • Define focus and present

  • Describe the difference between focus and being present

Professional Development

  • Define professional development

  • List and describe the components of SMART goals

  • Define compensation

  • Define gross salary

  • Define net salary

SkillsUSA Knowledge

  • Write the SkillsUSA mission statement

  • State the SkillsUSA motto

  • State the SkillsUSA pledge

  • State the SkillsUSA creed

  • List the SkillsUSA colors and their meanings

  • Identify the duties of chapter officers

  • Identify the characteristics of the SkillsUSA ceremonial emblem

  • Identify the emblem component associated with each officer

  • Identify key moments in SkillsUSA history by year