4 minute read
AED Foundation
COMMITTED TO THE FUTURE
Kirby-Smith Machinery makes significant contribution to AED Foundation initiative to increase the number of heavy equipment technicians
Kirby-Smith Machinery Inc. (KSM) is committed to finding and developing the next generation of service technicians. In addition to programs designed to recruit and retain its own top talent, KSM wants to extend its commitment industrywide and recently showed it with a significant contribution to the Associated Equipment Distributors Foundation’s (AEDF) Vision 2025.
Research by AEDF has found that the industry needs to fill an anticipated 73,500 heavy equipment technician positions over the next five years, and the technician shortage is compounded by a gap in required skills and available training. Vision 2025 aims to address these issues by growing AEDF’s impact to include a minimum of 120 accredited college programs (currently 71) and a minimum of 200 recognized high school programs (currently 36). If successful, Vision 2025 has the potential to create a talent pipeline that includes an additional 10,000 skilled technicians entering the workforce, 5,000 AEDF-certified technicians, and 500 AEDF-certified managers.
“Construction equipment technicians are much harder to come by these days, and I’m very excited that we, Kirby-Smith Machinery, were able to donate to the AED Foundation in order to help us collaboratively work together to bolster and enhance our opportunities to support this labor shortage,” said KSM President and CEO John Arapidis. “I hope that this initiative will bring us many technicians in the future and beyond and create new Kirby-Smith employees that will be proud to call our facilities home!”
Attracting a new generation
KSM Chief Operating Officer Jeff Weller said the technician shortage has been prevalent for the last 30 years, adding that it’s getting harder to attract young people to a “great industry” in any position, but especially technicians. Weller emphasized that today’s machinery is much more technologically advanced and that could be an attraction for a new generation.
“Today’s technicians must possess a lot of the same qualities of someone who would work in information technology, as the complex machines in our industry are highly computerized,” said Weller. “However, they will still need the qualities that have made generations of technicians before them successful; grit, determination and pride of workmanship will always be essential. Together, KSM and AEDF through Vision 2025 are partnering to raise awareness and come up with new solutions to attract talented young people to the rewarding challenge of being a technician in 2025 and beyond.”
According to KSM Vice President of Product Support David Kellerstrass, the industry has not been given the exposure it deserves, and today it’s suffering a shortage of technicians as a result. Kellerstrass added that AEDF is helping distributors like KSM reach potential technicians at an earlier stage of life by bringing awareness to exciting opportunities in the industry.
“This team effort is reaching many high schools, trade schools and community colleges,” said Kellerstrass. “What we do in this industry is the foundation to how our civilization exists and makes progress toward the future. Without heavy equipment, you can’t produce energy, build roads, or produce the aggregates that hold our towns together. It’s a meaningful industry, and the next generations want to be a part of something more meaningful. AEDF allows for additional boots on the ground to help discover new potential and support local programs to develop the next generation of technicians.” ■
