Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs)

Working Together

The School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Career and Technical Education coordinates five (5) student organizations that provide career awareness, leadership, motivation, and recognition for career related skills.

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) are an extension of the classroom instructional program by integrating academics and career and technical skills into real work experiences. Depending of the CIP Code that the CTE program is approved for, the POS is required to have students part of one of the following PA-approved CTSOs:

Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA)
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
Future Farmers of America (FFA)
Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA)
SkillsUSA

State Conference Calendar

CTSO Flyer (PDF)

CTSO Guidelines Booklet (PDF) – The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 provides funding for career and technical education through fiscal year 2012. The Act specifies required and permissible uses of these funds for CTSO activities at the local and state levels.

DECA – An Association of Marketing Students

DECA enhances marketing, management, and entrepreneurship education. Students develop skills and competencies for careers, build self-esteem, experience leadership, and practice community service. DECA promotes the partnership of education and business.

PA DECA
DECA

FBLA – Future Business Leaders of America

FBLA prepares students for leadership and careers in business through business-related education and entrepreneurial skill development, community service, and partnerships with the professional sector.

PA Future Business Leaders of America (state website)
Future Business Leaders of America (national website)

FFA – An Association of Agriculture Education Students

FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agriculture education.

PA FFA Association (state website)
FFA (national website)

HOSA – Health Occupations Students of America

HOSA’s two-fold mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of compassionate, quality health care to help students meet the needs of the health care community. HOSA’s goal is to encourage all health science technology instructors and students to affiliate and be actively involved in the HOSA-HSTE (Health Science Technology Education) Partnership and serve as a major pipeline of health care professionals in the future.

PA Health Occupations Students of America
Health Occupations Students of America

SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a national student organization that strives to make each student more employable through the development of participatory, and leadership skills to complement the occupational skills developed by students in technical education classrooms or work-based learning sites. SkillsUSA is an integral part of approved technical education occupation programs.

SkillsUSA  (national website)
SkillsUSA (state website)