Skilled Trades by Mediaplanet_USA

SEPTEMBER 2022 | FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM This tradeswoman knows there is a place for everyone in construction Shannon Tymosko Find the path skilledopportunitiestointradecareers07 Learn the tricks of the trade from leaders in the industry 10 An Independent Supplement by Mediaplanet to USA Today

A Mediaplanet Guide to Moving the Skilled Trades Industry Forward

Skilled Trades

with NASCAR, for example, Club kids can attend races to learn about the diverse career types and skills that go into the sport,” Wise said. “Youths learn during those visits that, yes, there’s one person driving a car, but there are also skilled laborers — mechanics, electri cians, welders, etc., along with many others — who all play a major role in the sport, too. Many of the kids’ eyes open up and they say, ‘Hey, wait a min ute. There are so many oppor tunities“Skilledhere.’”trades represent an essential part of America’s workforce,” said Eric Nyquist, chief communications and social responsibility officer at NASCAR. “Trade profession als play a vital role in helping NASCAR put on an amazing show for millions of fans each weekend.”Skilled trades have other advantages. For one, they pay better than many people think — about half of skilled trade

Learn more and support great futures for America’s youth at bgca.org. n

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“As part of our partnership

The key thing Clubs provide is access. “You can’t be some thing if you can’t see it,” Wise said. “Our goal is to position programming and workforce preparation strategies so young people can identify the career they want to explore early and pursue post-secondary success on their own terms.”

workers earn at least $50,000 to start. And many trades employ a “learn and earn” model, meaning that training and apprenticeship coincide with actively working while earning a living.

The key challenge is educat ing about skilled trades as an option, and the opportuni ties that exist. Early access is

More than one way to cross the finish line Wise thinks this approach will help young people better understand and spark interest in skilled trades.

With workers in the skilled trades in steep demand and the cost-benefit ratio of college education under scrutiny, career exploration and workforce readiness programs for young people may be the key to ensuring the success of skilled trades.

Nadler

For example, Toyota lev eraged its Technician Train ing and Education Network (T-TEN) to provide Boys & Girls Club members a first hand look at the skilled trade career possibilities within the company and industry. Toy ota also sponsors $500,000 in scholarships for Boys & Girls Club kids every year.

“It’s not a matter of ‘college or no college?’ when it comes to deciding educational and pro fessional paths,” he said. “It’s ‘what is your return on invest ment?’ and ‘what are your nat ural skillsets or interests?’”

They are able to see firsthand what pathways are available to them through extraordi nary, hands-on experiences.”

Access and equity

College as a default option is being re-evaluated. The aver age student loan borrower owes nearly $30,000, the cost of a four-year college keeps ris ing, and the value of that fouryear degree isn’t always guar anteed. Meanwhile, American companies are reporting a major labor shortage, in large part because of a lack of skills.

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Expanding Great Futures Within Skilled Trades

critical.“Through our partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, we are able to engage with youth in middle and high school by preparing, motivating, and inspiring them to explore career oppor tunities,” said Tellis Bethel, group vice president and chief social innovation officer at Toyota Motor North America. “Skilled technicians have careers in advanced manufac turing at our manufacturing plants and within dealerships to service or repair vehicles.

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Jeff Somers Keziah Makoundou Photo Sheryl All photos are credited to Getty

all, which can be college, but can also be fulfilled by trade schools and two-year institu tions. There is no single path to success.”

Boys & Girls Clubs of Amer ica partners with other orga nizations and corporations in its mission to help young peo ple reach their full potential, which includes helping them identify career paths via job shadowing, on-site visits, certi fications, presentations by pro fessionals at Clubs, and more.

“Four-year college degrees have been traditionally posi tioned as the best place to start,” said Greg Wise, manag ing director of national work force readiness at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “At Boys & Girls Clubs, we emphasize continuing education over

“The primary objective of education is to prepare every student to realize their full potential,” said Alana Hyman, NECA director of industry development.

By having conversations with both young boys and girls about how everyone has different strengths to bring to the table, we can start eliminating the conditioning that limits so many young people. If you can see it, you can be it, and through educa tion we can start to empower the next generation.

As a third-year apprentice, I am still amid my training to become an electrician and journeyperson. In Ontario, the basic requirements to become an electrician includes 9,000 hours of hands-on learn ing in the field. This often takes roughly five years, and throughout that time you attend schooling.

National Electrical Contractors Association

To Build America Is to Represent America

The National Electrical Contractors Asso ciation (NECA) has been a steadfast leader in incorporating values of diversity, equity, inclu sion, and belonging into workforces across theNECAcountry.has expanded its horizon of recruitment to include more workers beyond the dominant demographics. The vision is to empower a cultural shift in our industry through education, opportunity, awareness, and open dialogue to create a well-rounded industry.

NECA contributes to the Veteran’s Electrical Entry Program, which helps transition service members into the work force in a high-demand field with excellent earning“Veteranspotential.have gone through training, have discipline and leadership skills, and are accountable,” said Ronald Bailey, NECA vice president of industry development and Retired Lieutenant General of the U.S. Marine Corps. “Their desire and work ethic highlights the capabilities of a military veteran in con struction.”NECAalso developed the Adopt-a-School program to join lower-funded K-12 schools in underprivileged communities with career opportunities in electrical construction. The investment propels a long-term investment into cultivating talent and generating interest in construction through science technology, engineering, and math classes.

What are your top tips for women out there trying to navigate a maledominated industry?

We talked to Shannon Tymosko about her career in the trades and her journey to get there.

expand on things seen in the field. The apprenticeship pro cess values real life experiences, hands on learning, and schooling to create qualified skilled trades workers, that can be a benefit to an employer at all stages.

As construction work evolves and reshapes its operations, now is the time to help produce a motivated, diverse workforce ready to elevate the industry.

Construction across America is at a pivotal point to become a catalyst in innovation and empower workers to take charge.

What do you think is the biggest myth when it comes to a career in skilled trades?

How did your education and training prepare/benefit your career in trade?

Being a woman in the skilled trades today means that we are still a minority, are underesti mated, and are trailblazers for other women to follow. It means you must be strong, self-aware, and realistic that you are still in a man’sActionsworld.often speak louder than words, and sadly we are frequently judged and held to a different standard, meaning we always must work harder than the next. Be persistent, be strong, and show the young women of tomorrow that they too can do whatever they desire.Don’t compete with your sis ters, there is so much room for us all! Reach out and connect with community groups and organi zations and make new friends on social media. Chances are high there are other women just like you wanting and needing to con nect and relate! n

A Q&A With Motivational Speaker and ShannonTradeswomanTymosko

I believe these skills and assets are just as important as physi

cal strength, and that there is a place for everyone on the con struction site.

Workers in the fields responsible for turning our lights on, providing heat and air condition ing, and charging our phones are vital to main taining our infrastructure. As a united front in electrical construction, contractors have worked to provide pathways into the industry from all walks of life.

I have heard many times women are not strong enough to work in construction. This statement leads me to believe that the only thing that is valued are the phys ical strengths someone may pos sess. What about the other skills women have been found strong at, such as multi-tasking, com munication, and organization?

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How can we start to bridge the gender gap within the skilled trades industry?

There are three levels of trades school to attend where you learn the science and theory, and

To learn more, visit invitationhomes.com/SkillUp

But the housing industry is facing a dire shortage of skilled trades workers that is exacer bating the overall housing chal lenges America is experiencing. To overcome the skills gap and tackle these hurdles head on, we must bolster skilled trades education and continue to high light the career pathways these opportunities provide.

more than 80,000 homes across the country, as well as extensive renovation processes before res idents ever move in. We respond to more than 500,000 work orders from residents every year, with roughly 75 % of requests resolved on the first visit.

MarkettheWillSkilledSupportingTradesImproveHousing

Doing our part

At Invitation Homes, skilled tradespeople play a critical role in making sure that our prop erties are ready for residents. As a leading owner and operator of single-family homes for lease, we rely on an army of skilled trade workers to help us support the day-to-day maintenance of

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To help alleviate pressure, we must continue to support the supply of quality single-family homes, and to accomplish this, we need more skilled trades workers.

experience of our associates to highlight these unique opportu nities. Through these efforts, we aim to invest in the American workforce, provide economic growth, and support the sin gle-family housing market.

Solving the skills gap won’t happen overnight. It will require inspiring the next gen eration of skilled tradespeople and providing them with oppor tunities to pursue worthwhile and rewarding careers. Invi tation Homes is committed to doing this work to support our industry and to help provide people with a safe and com fortable place to call home. n

Skilled workers needed The construction industry will need an additional 2.2 million workers to keep pace with demand through 2024, accord ing to the most recent Con struction Labor Market Report by the Home Builders Institute.

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report found that there are now 18% more people between the ages of 25 and 34 than in 2006, representing 6.6 million more potential first-time home buyers. This stark imbalance between the number of homes available and individuals seek ing one has created a challeng ing housing market.

Whether it’s a townhouse, apartment, or single-family home, having a place where you can truly be yourself is comforting. And from laying the foundation of a home to fixture installation, as well as repairs through the life of a home, skilled tradespeople play an essential role in supporting America’s homes.

Last year, we launched a skilled trades initiative, Invita tion to SkillUp. Through SkillUp, Invitation Homes is expanding access to skilled trades educa tion, increasing awareness of the value of skilled trades, and engaging our associates in vol unteer efforts. We’re teaming up with trade schools in our local markets to help students kickstart careers and leveraging the

Moreover, the Associated Build ers and Contractors found that since the end of the Great Reces sion, construction workers aged 25-54 have dropped by 8%, while 20% are 55 or older with an aver age retirement age of 61. This means a fifth of the industry is at risk of leaving within the next six years, which will make hiring enough skilled tradespeople even more diffi cult.Building new homes and maintaining existing ones would not be possible without skilled trades workers. These professionals provide support from the construction of a home’s frame to installation and ongoing maintenance of plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. An influx of skilled tradespeople will be necessary to fill these critical roles and help address larger issues impacting the housing market, like the signif icant shortage of single-family homes.The most recent estimate from Freddie Mac puts the United States nearly 4 million homes short of what’s needed to meet demand, and its June

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Half of construction workers earn more than $49,000 annually with the top 25% making more than $75,000. This eclipses the U.S. median wage of $45,760 and the top quartile making just $68,590. In addition, the industry is one of the few where women and men earn nearly equal pay, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, versus all other occupa tions where women make just 81.5% of what men earn.

Apprenticeship and Nontradi tional Employment for Women (ANEW) and other pre-appren ticeship programs around the country have been successfully placing women in the construc tion trades for over 40 years. Although women make up only 3% of construction workers on the tools, in Seattle and Boston, where this programming exists, women make up almost 10%.

can accomplish a goal — I see it every day,” said Karen Dove, the executive director of ANEW. ”If you are a single mother working two jobs at minimum wage to make ends meet and barely get by, and you have the opportunity to earn a family wage with bene fits, it is amazing how motivated you can be.”

National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) & Home Builders Institute (HBI)

With nearly 400 programs in 46 states, HBI is building the next generation of skilled workers for residential construc tion through pre-apprenticeship training and certification programs in secondary schools, community colleges, military bases, and training academies. These programs provide middle and high school students, transitioning military, displaced workers, and others with no-cost trades training that leads to well-paying jobs and careers in the home building industry.

“I have seen 115-pound women carry 80 pounds of rebar back and forth for 30 minutes to get into the ironworkers. I have learned not to question a woman on a mission. I believe anyone

Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Employment for Women (ANEW)

The construction industry needs to add 2.2 million workers over the next three years to keep up with housing demand, according to a recent report from the Home Builders Institute (HBI), a work force development nonprofit that works closely with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

Changing social and economic factors are driving a renewed focus on career technical education among educators, policymakers, students and their families.

What we think about when picturing a specific industry may be perpetuating biases, and excluding parts of the workforce.

To Beat the Workforce Shortage, Reimagine the Workforce

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A severe lack of skilled workers is threatening new home production and housing affordability.

Withassistance.dailyvirtual, selfpaced and instructor-led classes, people seeking a career in the trades can work through the program at their own pace and on their own schedule. Then, they can create a free profile in the Path to Pro Net work to apply to open roles and connect directly with industry professionals looking to hire in their local area.

Jenna Arca Director of Development,WorkforceTheHomeDepot

tion: the Path to Pro program, launched in July 2021, which offers free job training (Path to Pro Skills Program) and access to a networking platform (Path to Pro Network) for any one interested in growing and pursuing a career in skilled trades like carpentry, electri cal, or “Pathplumbing.toPro provides students, parents, advisors and more with consolidated resources designed to help individuals better understand the career potential in the skilled trades industry,” Arca explained. “It offers training opportunities and acts as a K-12 trades education platform that can help guide graduating seniors in understanding how to build a career in the skilled trades.”

Arca encourages anyone interested in the opportuni ties offered by skilled trade careers to register for Path to Pro. “The Home Depot wants to help build your confidence during any stage of your career by providing a low-pressure environment to network with hiring trades professionals.” n

The Path Opportunityto in Skilled

The U.S. construction indus try is struggling to find workers in the skilled trades. According to the Home Build ers Institute, there are more than 300,000 open positions. And the problem is only going to get worse — accord ing to the National Center for Construction Education & Research, 40% of current construction workers are expected to retire within the next decade.

So far, the program has been an incredible success. “We’ve seen great responses and engagement with candi

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A major contributing factor to this growing problem is the perception of the skilled trades as “less than” the careers afforded by a traditional fouryear college “Four-yeardegree.colleges may be the traditional path after high school graduation,” said Jenna Arca, Director of Work force Development at The Home Depot, “but those pur suing skilled trades can land a job faster, earn money while learning on the job, build a stable career and avoid taking on student loan debt.”

Need for education and a platform

Skilled trades myths

The Path to Pro Skills Program teaches basic skills like job site safety, basic tool knowledge and use, construc tion materials, team building and communication skills. It also offers career guidance and resume

One reason the skilled trades industry gets overlooked is the persistent myths surrounding it. Many believe the skilled trades offer lower earning potential, but the top earners in the construction field make more than $75,000 a year. In addition, many construction jobs offer an “earn while you learn” model where new hires are trained while earning a living.Other misconceptions regarding the skilled trades include a belief that there’s no path to advancement, but Arca explains that the opposite is true. “There are continuous learning opportunities in the skilled trades via certification programs, on-the-job train ing, or both,” she noted. “And a high demand for skilled work ers means you’ll always have a job.”

dates and Pro customers start ing to take advantage of the course, portfolio tool and net working opportunities,” Arca said. “To date, we’ve had over 2,000 people start the training and hundreds graduate.”

trainstheirandtheAsCareersTradesalaborshortagegripsconstructionindustrycollegedegreesloseluster,onecompanythenextgeneration.

Despite this demand, Arca says 94% of trades profession als struggle to find qualified skilled workers, according to a study conducted by The Home Depot. This led The Home Depot to develop a solu

Jeff Somers

DEPOTHOMETHEPHOTO:

The sheet metal trade, along with other specialty trades that offer registered apprenticeship programs, allow students to “earn while they learn.” According to trade data, apprentices in the sheet metal industry earn wages that, on average, total approximately $250,000 over the course of their five years as an Uponapprentice.graduation, an

We’re CareersShapingHiring:FutureWithout a College Degree

A study by The Ohio State University reports that within six to nine years after entry into a registered apprenticeship program, apprentices earn 38% more than their peers with similar educational backgrounds but little or no training.

To help those interested in joining the sheet metal industry, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) created the website IgniteYourCareer.com. The site provides information about the trade, the different career paths, and how to get started in the industry while helping connect individuals to local job resources.

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To learn more, visit www.bradfordwhite.com

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Contractors, electricians, masons, or anyone in a trade position have full schedules and can’t hire enough workers to meet the demand. In particular, the sheet metal and HVAC trade could not be busier, leading to more job openings than ever before.

Moving the Skilled Trades Industry Forward

to support these career decisions and be an advocate for those interested in the trades and the plumbing and HVAC industry as whole. Only then will we help build a stronger and more sustainable future for all. n

after graduation are not guaranteed to help cover the cost of obtaining a degree.

What are the trades?

to educate individuals and families on the importance of the skilled trades and the role that industry professionals provide in the health, safety, sanitation, and infrastructure of their communities through strategic grant funding that supports workforce development training and education programs and industry career opportunities, events, and partnerships.Asteensand young adults consider the financial impact of attending a four-year college and look for a stable career in an essential industry, we need

Rebecca Owens, BradfordCommunicationsSeniorManager,WhiteCorporation

Industry forward To combat public perception and help advance the skilled trades, Bradford White Corporation, an zationsinging,ingingtheadvanceward™.givinghasers,manufacturerindustry-leadingofwaterheat-boilers,andstoragetanks,developedanewcharitableprogram,IndustryFor-Theprogramservestopublicawarenessofimportanceoftheplumb-andHVACindustry,includ-skilledtrades,manufactur-anddistribution.BradfordWhiteispartner-withnon-profitorgani-andtechnicalschools

widely promoted as the path to success for students, funding decreased, and schools began eliminating trades-oriented classes and programs. Societal pressures and parents wanting their kids “to have a better life,” intensified the focus on securing collegeToday,degrees.young men and women who want to use their hands must look at vocational or technical schools to explore trade options or wait for post-graduation opportunities to start their journey toward a career in the trades.

Drawn to competitive wages, benefits, and on-site learning opportunities, more people are choosing to start a career in the trades right after high school.

With the soaring costs of college tuition, higher interest rates, and less job security, earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree is not the path of choice it once was. Careers that start in the trades have steadily increased in popularity as more people look to start a career without accumulating tuition debt.

According to the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association “The projected shortage of workers in systemsystem,heater,will114,500tryticstheindustryplumbing-heating-coolingtheisstaggering.By2028,U.S.BureauofLaborStatis-estimatesthattheindus-willneedapproximatelynewworkers.”Whofixandreplaceyourwatermaintainyourheatingorupdatetheelectricalinyourhome?Ascollegebecamemore

According to data released by the National Student Clearinghouse, the number of undergraduates enrolled in colleges has dropped by nearly 1.4 million students since 2019 — and it’s not completely pandemicrelated. Many students choose to earn a lucrative wage rather than incur college debt, especially when starting salaries

From lucrative wages to generous benefits, including work/life balance, healthcare, and a retirement pension, a career path in the trades can offer amazing career opportunities. (Wages and apprenticeship length of time can vary by local area.) n

Benefits of a career in the trades

apprentice enters the field as a journeyperson earning a higher wage and a generous benefits package with healthcare and a retirement pension.

Jeff Henriksen, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA)

Are the skilled trades on the endangered list?

Possible obstacles

A variety of choices

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Federal infrastructure con struction projects and appren ticeships are in the news due to many available jobs and competitive pay. The average wage is over $30 an hour in California, with additional healthcare and pension bene fits, and entry wages starting above $20 an hour.

The benefits of a career in construction I worked construction for 25 years, made good money, sup ported my family, and received healthcare for my kids and a retirement pension. As the head of Tradeswomen, Inc., I remain a proud International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) electrician. These are family-sustain ing, wealth-building careers that do not require college and offer paid training. Skilled trades apprentices learn their craft with paid, supervised,

women in construction, and how can we diversify this field?

Childcare is a major chal lenge in construction as it is in most industries. In a recent national survey, over 50 % of the 2,600 tradeswomen responding had children; nearly 20% had children under Construction6.work includes a multitude of factors that make childcare difficult, such as early starts and overtime. The obstacles include rotat ing shifts, split shifts, dou ble shifts, and unscheduled call-ins.

Construction careers are available in dozens of trades — bricklayers, heavy equipment

peared from the industry.

Women can physically do this work and many more women would if they knew how to start and had encouragement to succeed. Of course, in con struction, there are many hurdles; discrimination and harassment have not disap

Minimum entry require ments are basic: physical abil ity to do the job, willingness to learn, being drugfree, and showing up ready to work every day. Some trades require a high school diploma, driv er’s license, and a basic skills exam.

Building the Nation

Women starting out or changing careers after the pandemic should think about a career in the construction trades, starting with an apprenticeship.

Meg Vasey, Executive Director, Tradeswomen Inc.

on-the-job work and supple mental classroom hours.

Today, women make up only 4% of the skilled trades, despite being 50% of the workforce. So, where are the

operators, electricians, plumb ers, welders, elevator con structors, plasterers, laborers, and carpenters. Job sites vary from homes, high-rises, high ways, factories, and hospitals, and apprenticeship graduates can move into supervision, teaching, management, union leadership, and public agency positions.Trades work can also be satisfying and fun. If someone, no matter their gender, likes to work with their hands, be outdoors, be independent, and work hard every day, then they can love this work. n

KS: I would say go for it. Not only are the trades an immensely rewarding career choice, but with all of today’s technology, and the growing choice of different methods and materials to work with, it is a place to make good money and create products to be proud of. As the baby boomers continue to retire and leave the workforce, there will be fewer and fewer competent individuals in the trades. This means a large gap to fill, and good money to be made for those that care and work hard. n

Christof Becker SVP Operations & Supply Chain Americas, Henkel

EB: The digital age has given us an endless supply of DIY and building videos, all acces sible from our cell phones.

The world needs to know that the trades are a lucrative and creative career path, not just a last resort.

bility, freedom to spend time with your loved ones, time to chase your hobbies outside of work, the chance to use creativity and critical think ing daily, not to mention the opportunity to earn an hon est living doing something you love.

CB: A manufacturing job serves as a good calibrating entry to a career of hands-on work that leads to a deep understanding of manufac turing as part of the value chain. There is also a wide variety of trade roles to choose from, whether it’s chemical mixing, part assembly, pack aging, maintenance, shipping and receiving — just to name a few. This is where true value is created.

Ed Brady President & CEO, Home InstituteBuilders(HBI)

Brian Ciciora: As a society, we need to stop positioning life in the trades as a less desirable option or a second choice for individuals that don’t follow the traditional high school to four-year-college track. We’re lucky to have a network of ambassadors that share this same message with their communities: Life in the trades allows for more flexi

elevating the lives and work of modern trades

self with years of trial and error. Now you can spend time scouring the internet and find countless videos or blogs about a given topic. This provides a platform to educate the masses.

Ed Brady: The building indus try needs to think outside of the box as we work together to recruit new talent. We need to get kids excited about the trades beginning at a younger age. We need to recruit more women, minorities, veterans, new American citizens, sec ondary school students, and persons reentering society after leaving the justice sys tem. We have the opportunity to attract and train previously untapped populations to fill the skills gap and create a wel coming environment within the construction industry. Telling these stories will shift the narrative and convey our industry as one that is diverse, inclusive and well-paying.

YouTube, Tik Tok, and Ins

Kyle Stumpenhorst Owner & Operator, RR Buildings

Brian Ciciora TruewerkCEO,

Why is it important to encourage the younger generation to take up a career in the trades?

What tools and resources have you seen being the most effective in

ability to learn and to teach through things like social media has already been a huge positive in the community. Ten years ago, you either had to go to a trade school, learn on the job over many years, join a union, or teach your

Tricks of the Trade

How can we reframe what it means to work in the trades?

Christof Becker: Roles in skilled trades give employees the chance to work on diverse and talented teams while learning about the manufac turing process, having sta bility with consistent hours, and opening doors for various career paths. These jobs are critical to the production of essential items that consum ers rely on and benefit from every day. Not everyone can proudly look at products on a store shelf and say, “I had a hand in making that.”

tagram are free platforms featuring building content by thousands of industry professionals.

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Kyleprofessionals?Stumpenhorst:

The

BC: What is important is to think about what’s important to our neighbors and our com munities. It takes people who want the skills and ability to make these things happen, who want to perform what’s needed to build the future. The problems, obstacles, and opportunities we face require people to solve them.

Trades Employers Must Widen Their Talent Net CanApprenticeship—Help

that combines paid on-the-job learn ing and formal classroom or online instruction to help workers master the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed for career success.

provides stability, high wages, and growth opportunities.

In addition, employers who want to expand and act upon their DEIA val ues need to assess their organizations’ demographic representation. A compa ny’s leadership must be representative of its employee base, or individuals from the populations that aren’t represented there won’t expect to be well-treated, respected, or understood.

Josh Johnson, Director, Jobs for the Future (JFF)

DEIA is more than just a “nice thing to do”— the future viability of many businesses depends on their ability to attract a wider range of talent as Amer ica continues to diversify. n

However, the promise of appren ticeship is not entirely accessible for everyone: U.S. Department of Labor data for the federal government’s 2021 fiscal year shows that 86% of appren tices across all industries are men, and just 35% identify as non-white. In order to meet their labor needs, trade organizations must widen their nets to attract a more demographically diverse pool of candidates.

A ccording to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, skilled trade labor industries like durable goods manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and education and health services have severe labor shortages. The data indicates that even if every unemployed person with experience in the durable goods manufacturing industry were employed, the industry would only fill 65% of its vacant jobs.

Registered Apprenticeship is an approach known for preparing work ers for careers in the trades while meeting industry needs for a skilled workforce. A form of work-based learning, apprenticeship is an employ er-driven workforce training model

From leadership to workers to customers, every person in the trades benefits from robust diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives and programs.

One of the primary barriers to increas

Diversifying the industry

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ing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in apprenticeship and other forms of skills-based training is that employers aren’t actively making workers aware of these opportunities, or are not making them accessible to the workers who need them most. Addi tionally, some employers are offering jobs without clear pathways for career advancement.Fortheseobstacles to be removed, there must be a paradigm shift in how we build awareness of apprenticeships and skills-based training, and shape attitudes toward these opportunities. We need to change the mentality that college is superior to a skills-based trade and provide concrete examples of how a trade can offer a career pathway that

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