New collaboration helps students acquire skills, education, and support needed to develop careers as professional technicians
Phoenix—TechForce Foundation and SkillsUSA have entered a strategic collaboration to empower the next generation of skilled aviation, automotive, collision repair, diesel, and welding technicians and tackle the technician shortage head-on.
The mutually beneficial collaboration will help students garner the skills, education, and support needed to successfully develop careers as professional technicians.
Through the collaboration, SkillsUSA will introduce TechForce Foundation’s career-building resources to its members, encouraging them to access TechForce, an online career hub that helps students navigate the journey from building their interest and skills to connecting with year-round scholarships, events, apprenticeships and jobs.
Reciprocally, TechForce will educate its network of students and instructors about SkillsUSA membership, which offers opportunities for student leadership, professional development, enhanced curriculum, industry networking and partnerships, and real-world experiences that reinforce lessons learned in the classroom.
“This nonprofit-to-nonprofit collaboration showcases what can happen when two organizations work together for a common purpose,” says TechForce Foundation CEO Jennifer Maher. “Both organizations are committed to the outcome of a skilled, passionate workforce, so ensuring our communications channels cross-pollinate ensures our students, and industry, win. With TechForce having over $4 million in scholarships to award this year alone, and SkillsUSA being active in nearly 5,000 schools and over 21,000 classrooms nationwide, it’s a natural alliance that supercharges results for the next generation of skilled technicians.”
“SkillsUSA is the number one workforce development organization dedicated to students,” states SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis. “Our organization stands ready to meet the growing need of connecting business and industry with skilled professionals. SkillsUSA’s vision is to produce the most highly skilled workforce in the world, providing every member the opportunity for career success. With partners like TechForce beside us, it is a true win-win for everyone—students and the American economy alike.”
The technician shortage remains a persistent challenge for the industry. The most recent research from TechForce finds three job openings for every tech school graduate today.
Despite evidence that organizations can achieve more together than apart, committed collaborations have been limited. TechForce Foundation and SkillsUSA will introduce more students and instructors to the existing resources than ever before. The anticipated result is more students enrolling in and completing technical education and a larger, better-prepared next-generation technician workforce.
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