Leadership Conference Nurtures Next Generation
As a senior at Greater Lowell Technical High School, Tommy Marshall has been actively involved in SkillsUSA Massachusetts since his freshman year. The organization’s annual Leadership Conference in late November kicked off the culmination of his hard work and dedication to skills education, as he presided over the meeting as state president.
“It’s an honor to represent the members of Massachusetts, because I have seen the impact it truly has on helping me grow and just develop skills that are essential for the workforce,” he said. “To be able to lead a conference that is hopefully going to inspire and empower other members to have that same exact feeling, well, I just couldn't be more grateful to be up there representing them.”
Hundreds of students from across Massachusetts gathered in Marlborough for the two-day program. The robust schedule of events included workshops that focused on building leadership skills, which add to the technical and career skills they learn in their high school courses. Those leadership skills will contribute to their personal and workplace readiness when they graduate, whether they choose the job market or advanced education.
Marshall’s initial involvement with SkillsUSA included serving as a voting delegate, helping to elect one of his peers to a state office. This early exposure sparked his interest in a leadership role, and he went on to serve as his school's chapter parliamentarian, honing his leadership skills. The following year, Tommy ran for state office himself and was elected as the state secretary.
“As I was going through high school, I was searching for my purpose and where I would fit in,” he said. “SkillsUSA immediately provided me with a welcoming environment where I could be free to be myself and learn.”
Now, as state president, Marshall took on several key responsibilities, including delivering the emblem ceremony introduction during the opening session. During the dinner celebration, he welcomed attendees and spoke about the valuable lessons to be experienced over the two days. He emphasized the importance of the essential elements that SkillsUSA teaches, which are highly valued by employers. He also kicked off the lunch panel, where members heard from industry partners who shared advice to use in their future careers.
“These essential elements that SkillsUSA is built upon are the qualities that employers have identified as so important within their employees,” he said.
“We are not just learning these elements but we are developing them, so that when we go out into the world of work, we can become leaders. We can spark change. We can create a difference.”
Marshall’s leadership role complements and even enhances what he’s learning in his school’s pre-nursing program, where he obtained his Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license last year. Now, he’s participating in co-op training, working every other week at the Seven Hills Pediatric Center in Groton. There, he provides hands-on care for medically complex children who are non-verbal and non-ambulatory, helping with their daily activities and assisting in the classroom to help them develop communication skills.
“It just feels like the place where I can really just learn a lot from others in different populations I would have never expected to work with,” he said. “I get to help others through what I know.
Growing up, he was always intrigued by science, developing a deeper interest in anatomy and how the body works while in middle school. Since no one in his family was in the medical field, he started exploring different career paths and found himself drawn to nursing for its hands-on patient care.
“I want to have those one-on-one patient interactions and provide people with comfort during the most vulnerable times of their lives,” he said.