Vocational Industrial Clubs of America |
|
What Is VICA? VICA is the student organization for trade, technical, and industrial education students. VICA has the largest potential in the United States. Through this membership you will have the opportunity to acquire leadership abilities and be eligible to compete in your own skills area. It is a youth organization designed to increase total education and overall success of students. The activities may include events between vocational technical schools and between students, such as parliamentary procedure contests between schools, troubleshooting contest for Automotive Technology and/or Welding students. VICA MOTTO Preparing for Leadership in the World of Work PLEDGE UPON MY HONOR, I Pledge: To prepare myself by diligent study
and ardent practice to become a worker whose services will be
recognized as honorable by employers and fellow workers. To base
my expectations of reward upon the solid foundation of service. COLORS The colors red, white, and blue and
gold represent the National Organization of VICA. SYMBOLISM OF THE VICA EMBLEM THE SHIELD REPRESENTS PATRIOTISM The shield denotes our belief in democracy, liberty, and the American Way of life. THE GEAR REPRESENTS THE INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY The gear, symbolic of the industrial society, denotes the interdependence and cooperation of the individual working together with labor and management for the betterment of mankind. THE TORCH REPRESENTS KNOWLEDGE The flaming torch reflects the light of knowledge which dispels the darkness of ignorance. In the light of the torch progress will be made toward the vocational goals of the individual. THE ORBITAL CIRCLES REPRESENT TECHNOLOGY The circles present the challenge of modern technology, and the training needed to accept and master the challenge of new technical frontiers and the need for continuous education. Skills USA-VICA Reinforces What Employers Want While employers say that the most important skills for any employee are the basics-reading, writing and arithmetic-they want much more. In addition, to the vocational-technical skills needed for entry level employment or advancement, employers need a work force that is capable of the following: Knowing how to learn. Skills USA-VICA encourages student-led learning and experimentation requiring members to absorb, process and apply new information quickly and effectively. The more capable people are of learning of their own, the greater their worth and value to an employer. Reading, writing and computation. Operating the student-led Skills USA-VICA chapters and participating in national competitive events and programs provides an assortment of opportunities to practice and refine reading, writing and computational skills. Communicating effectively. Skills USA-VICA encourages the refinement of speaking, listening and feedback skills. Creative thinking and problem solving. Through chapter management activities, Skills USA-VICA members practice and refine their problem-solving in groups. By learning to work effectively in a Skills USA-VICA chapter, members, when employees, are better able to arrive at new solutions to productivity problems. Personal management. Skills USA-VICA improves personal management skills, including: goal-setting; goal achievement; and career direction, education and training analysis. Mastery of these skills results in heightened self-esteem. Skills USA-VICA provides situations to practice and refine skills that can be applied successfully in the workplace to resolve problems and foster innovation. Group effectiveness. Employment statistics show that the team approach results in higher productivity, product quality and increased quality of work life. For this reason Skills USA-VICA provides "group-oriented" activities to develop and refine interpersonal, negotiating and team building skills. By learning to work effectively as a member of a group, vocational-technical students will achieve the flexibility and adaptability that America's work force must have to remain competitive globally. Influencing others. Fundamental to all vocational student organizations (VSOs) is the development of leadership, the ability to influence others to act in a prescribed manner or t move in a given direction. Leadership is a learned skill that must be practiced and refined in real situations. Active involvement in Skills USA-VICA provides vocational-technical students with numerous opportunities to develop, practice and refine their leadership skills. Once only required of a few workers, leadership skills are now among the most important workplace basics. |