WHEN
Friday, May 1, 2020
Saturday, May 2, 2020
WHERE
Nashville, TN
Music City Center
Thank you for your interest in volunteering as a judge at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC)!
As a volunteer judge, you will sit across the table from DECA’s most talented members and evaluate their knowledge and skills they’ve developed all year. You provide the real-world expertise that sets our industry-validated competitive events program apart as you determine who will be named an international finalist.
The DECA ICDC would not be possible without the commitment of professionals like you. On behalf of all DECA students and staff, thank you for your interest in serving as a competitive events judge!
DAY OF INFORMATION
Parking
Parking is complimentary for all judges. Specific information will be provided closer to the event.
Check-In
Check-in begins at the start time of your shift. The specific location will be provided closer to the event.
Orientation
Training will be provided on-site to orient you to your assigned event, your role as a judge, the scoring/evaluation process and the schedule for the day.
YOUR ROLE AS A JUDGE
Arrival
Upon arrival, you will check-in and receive information about your role for the day. You will then meet your specific event director for further instructions. If you are judging an event with a written entry, you will begin evaluating the projects.
Role-play and Presentations
During your experience, you will see 16-20 presentations. The DECA members will present their case study solutions, business plans or projects to you.
Evaluation
After each presentation, you will evaluate the members using a provided rubric based on industry-validated performance indicators.
Depart
Once you have evaluated all the members assigned to your section, you will depart knowing you have helped prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs. The top performers will earn international recognition.
WHAT DOES AN EVENT LOOK LIKE
Click on the event below to see sample event packets for DECA’s competitive events.
- Apparel and Accessories Marketing Series
- Accounting Applications Series
- Advertising Campaign Event
- Automotive Services Marketing Series
- Business Finance Series
- Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making
- Business Solutions Project
- Business Services Operations Research
- Business Services Marketing Series
- Buying and Merchandising Operations Research
- Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making
- Career Development Project
- Community Awareness Project
- Community Giving Project
- Entrepreneurship-Business Growth Plan
- Entrepreneurship-Franchise Business Plan
- Entrepreneurship-Independent Business Plan
- Entrepreneurship-International Business Plan
- Entrepreneurship-Innovation Plan
- Entrepreneurship-Start-Up Business Plan
- Financial Consulting
- Financial Literacy Project
- Food Marketing Series
- Finance Operations Research Event
- Financial Services Team Decision Making
- Hotel and Lodging Management Series
- Human Resources Management Series
- Hospitality Services Team Decision Making
- Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research
- Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling
- Marketing Communications Series
- Marketing Management Team Decision Making
- Personal Financial Literacy
- Principles of Business Management and Administration
- Principles of Finance
- Principles of Hospitality and Tourism
- Principles of Marketing
- Professional Selling Event
- Quick Serve Restaurant Management Series
- Restaurant and Food Service Management Series
- Retail Merchandising Series
- Sales Project
- School-based Enterprise-Food Service
- School-based Enterprise-Retail Operations
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research
- Sports and Entertainment Promotion Plan
- Stock Market Game
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making
- Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making
SAMPLE VIDEOS
Competitive Events Overview Video
This video provides an overview of DECA’s competitive events program in action at a recent International Career Development Conference. You will see members preparing for events, see the judging booths, and hear from judges and members about their experiences.
Sample Role-Play Video
This sample scenario is used in the above role-play.
In the role-play events, participants are given a written scenario to review and develop a solution to present to you as the judge in a role-play situation.
Sample Written Event Presentation Video
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
DO I NEED PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH DECA?
No prior experience with DECA is necessary.
WILL I RECEIVE TRAINING?
Yes, all judges will receive a comprehensive orientation and training prior to interacting with competitors. The training will prepare you to understand your role as a judge and how to best evaluate the competitors. You can also utilize the resources on this page to help you prepare before arriving.
WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE?
We ask that judges abide by the dress code at their place of employment. Competitors will be dressed in business professional attire.
DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR PARKING?
DECA provides all judges with complimentary parking at the conference venue.
WHAT TIME DO I NEED TO ARRIVE?
Check in begins the time your shift starts. You do not need to arrive early.
IF I CAN'T STAY FOR MY ENTIRE SHIFT, CAN I LEAVE EARLY?
No. We ask that judges commit to their entire time frame to ensure fairness to competitors.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WRITTEN EVENT AND A ROLE-PLAY EVENT?
A written event includes a written entry of 10 to 20 pages that the participant team has prepared prior to competition. If you are judging a written event, you will read and score the written entry and then evaluate a presentation by the participant team.
In a role-play event, the participant is given a role-play scenario on the spot to review and prepare a solution, which is presented to you in a role-play situation.
CAN I SEE MY EVENT AHEAD OF TIME?
You can review the event guidelines and sample events which are available on this page. However, we keep the event scenarios confidential until the day of competition. Your event director will provide them to you once you arrive at your booth and receive further instructions.
HOW MANY STUDENTS WILL I EVALUATE?
You will evaluate 16-20 individuals or teams.
HOW DO STUDENTS QUALIFY TO COMPETE?
DECA members have been preparing all year-long in their classrooms, with competition beginning at the local level as early as the fall. The top performers advance to state/provincial conferences held earlier in the year in order to qualify to compete at the International Career Development Conference.
CAN I BRING A FRIEND?
Yes, please! We welcome your friends and colleagues. Simpy have them visit deca.org/volunteer to sign-up.
CAN I BRING MY CHILD?
No. Sorry, children are not allowed in the competition area.
DO I GET BREAKS?
Yes, there are times set aside for bathroom and meal breaks.
WILL MEALS OR SNACKS BE PROVIDED?
Yes, depending on your shift, breakfast and/or lunch will be provided. Coffee, water, and snacks will also be available throughout the day.
IS THERE AN AGE REQUIREMENT?
We request that you be five years out of high school in order to be a judge at ICDC.