Career Technical Student Organizations

Career Technical Student Organization

Business Professionals of America

Business Professionals of America is the premier CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organization) for students pursuing careers in business management, information technology, finance, office administration, health administration and other related career fields.

With 45,000 members in over 1,800 chapters across 25 states and Puerto Rico, as well as an international presence in China, Haiti and Peru, BPA is an organization that supports business and information technology educators by offering co-curricular exercises based on national standards. 

Business Professionals of America has the ability to enhance student participation in professional, civic, service and social endeavors. Members participate in these activities to accomplish its goals of self-improvement, leadership development, professionalism, community service, career development, public relations, student cooperation and safety and health.

A major program of Business Professionals of America is the Workplace Skills Assessment Program (WSAP). The WSAP prepares students to succeed and assesses real-world business skills and problem solving abilities in finance, management, IT and computer applications. It is BPA’s showcase program and facilitates students demonstrating their career skills at regional, state and national conferences in more than 90 competitive events.

Some of BPA’s other major programs include the National Leadership Academy, Officer Elections and scholarships. Additionally, the Torch Awards Program and BPA Cares Program recognize students and chapters, respectively, for their leadership and service to their chapter and community.

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Career Technical Student Organization

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a national Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) for students in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) education in public and private schools through grade 12. FCCLA offers intra-curricular resources and opportunities for students to pursue careers that support families. Since 1945, FCCLA members have been making a difference in their families, careers, and communities by addressing important personal, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education.

With over 237,000 student members and more than 7,000 chapter advisers across 5,100 chapters, the FCCLA family continues to expand and thrive, fostering a vibrant community of passionate individuals committed to making a difference. The work of FCCLA helps students and teachers focus on various youth concerns, including parenting, family relationships, substance abuse, peer pressure, sustainability, nutrition and fitness, teen violence, and career preparation in four specific Career Pathways.

Involvement in FCCLA offers members the opportunity to expand their leadership potential and develop skills for life—planning, goal setting, problem-solving, decision making, and interpersonal communication—necessary in the home and workplace.

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Career Technical Student Organization

HOSA - Future Health Professionals

HOSA is a global student-led organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services and several federal and state agencies. HOSA’s mission is to empower HOSA-Future Health Professionals to become leaders in the global health community, through education, collaboration, and experience. HOSA actively promotes career opportunities in the health industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people. HOSA’s goal is to encourage all health science instructors and students to affiliate and be actively involved in the HSE-HOSA Partnership.

HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition exclusively for secondary, postsecondary, middle school, adult, and collegiate students enrolled in health science education and biomedical science programs or have interests in pursuing careers in health professions. HOSA is 100% health care!

Since its inception in 1976, HOSA has grown steadily reaching over 260,000 members through 54 chartered HOSA Associations, American Samoa, Canada, China, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

HOSA is not a club to which a few students in school join. Rather, HOSA is a powerful instructional tool that works best when it is integrated into the HSE and health science related curriculum and classroom. HSE instructors are committed to the development of the total person. Those who join the HSE-HOSA Partnership recognize the importance of providing students with training far beyond the basic technical skills needed for entry into the health care field. The rapidly changing health care system needs dedicated workers who, in addition to their technical skills, are people-oriented and capable of playing a leadership role as a member of a health care team.
 

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Career Technical Student Organization

SkillsUSA

Students participate in SkillsUSA, a partnership of students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. All students also have the opportunity to participate in the Tech Prep Showcase through the Miami Valley Tech Prep Consortium.

Representing nearly 400,000 career and technical education students and teachers, SkillsUSA chapters thrive in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. Their mission is accomplished through the SkillsUSA Framework of Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics, which is integrated into classroom curriculum.

Through the Framework, SkillsUSA students hone their hands-on skills against current industry standards in more than 140 occupational areas, from 3-D Animation to Welding and nearly everything in between. At the same time, they develop the transformative career-readiness skills — teamwork, communication, professionalism, leadership and more — that fuel career and life success.

A vital solution to the ongoing skills gap, where more highly skilled jobs are available than skilled professionals ready to fill them, SkillsUSA has served more than 14.6 million diverse, difference-making members since 1965.

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