May 2024 - TechForce

May 14, 2024May 29, 2024

TechForce Foundation, SkillsUSA Collaborate to Empower Next Generation of Skilled Technicians and Solve Technician Shortage

The innovative collaboration equips students and educators with an arsenal of resources to foster career success for the next generation of professional technicians.

May 14, 2024 — Phoenix, Ariz. and Leesburg, Va. — 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 #1 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.

About TechForce Foundation
TechForce Foundation is a national nonprofit, 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion all students to and through their education and into careers as professional technicians. TechForce powers the technician workforce by awarding more than $4 million in scholarships and grants annually to financially disadvantaged students; changes perceptions towards this evolving, ‘new collar’ STEM career; and provides local career exploration and workforce development programming. TechForce’s online network of students, working technicians, instructors, employers, industry professionals and enthusiasts is the conduit through which the charity delivers its free resources for the benefit of aspiring technicians. For more information, visit techforce.org. Follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin.

About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is America’s proud champion of the skilled trades. It’s a student-led partnership of education and industry that’s building the skilled workforce our nation depends on with graduates who are career ready, day one. Representing nearly 380,000 career and technical education students and teachers, SkillsUSA chapters thrive in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. SkillsUSA’s mission empowers students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. That mission is accomplished through the SkillsUSA Framework of Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics, which is integrated into the classroom curriculum. Through Framework instruction, students develop the character-shaping leadership skills — teamwork, communication, professionalism and more — that successful careers and lives demand. At the same time, students hone their high-level technical skills against current industry standards in more than 130 skilled trade areas, from 3-D Animation to Welding. The result? Focused, confident and highly skilled graduates who are ready to work, ready to lead and ready to make a difference in our schools, workplaces and communities. A vital solution to the skills gap, where more in-demand skilled trades positions are available than qualified professionals to fill them, SkillsUSA has served over 14 million difference-making members since 1965. To learn more, visit www.skillsusa.org.

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May 13, 2024May 14, 2024

CRC-Sponsored GTO Goes to Auction to Support the Trades Through TechForce Foundation

Supercharged, resto mod 2006 GTO to be auctioned by MECUM Auto Auction on May 15, 2024.

Horsham, PA — A modified, upgraded, and perfectly preserved 2006 Pontiac GTO sponsored by CRC Industries will be auctioned May 15, 2024 with all proceeds going to TechForce Foundation, a nonprofit organization that funds education for and champions young people aspiring to work in the trades. Tuned by a famously-skilled crew, including NHRA Top Fuel World Champion Clay Millican, Jeff Lutz of Street Outlaws and Jeffrey Lutz of Lutz Race Cars, the GTO will be auctioned by MECUM Auto Auction at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Bidders can register online at: www.mecum.com/lots/1110407/2006-pontiac-gto/.

CRC Industries launched the “CRC Build for the Future Scholarship” program in cooperation with TechForce to inspire young men and women to explore a rewarding career in a technical trade and empower them through strong community, scholarships and career placement programs to achieve their dreams. CRC sponsored the GTO build to provide TechForce Foundation with funds for scholarships. The higher the bids, the more the scholarship will be granted as 100% of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to TechForce. At a minimum, Five scholarships will be awarded for industrial/welding, five for automotive education, and at least three of the scholarships will be awarded to women.

In announcing the auction, TechForce Foundation CEO Jennifer Maher noted, “We’re thrilled to partner with CRC Industries on this initiative. We share the same mission of helping young people find rewarding careers in the trades. We’re tremendously grateful for CRC’s financial support and the time and effort their team has put into helping to make the TechForce Foundation scholarship program a success.”

Raquel Wenger, CRC Director of Marketing, Americas, added, “We believe that investing in the next generation of technicians is vital to the sustainability of the trades. We partnered with TechForce, Clay Millican, and Jeff Lutz on the 2006 Pontiac GTO not only to provide scholarships for technical education, but also to shine a light on the opportunities available for young people looking for a rewarding long-term career.”

To apply for the CRC-sponsored scholarships, applicants can register through TechForce at: techforce.org/app/sign-up. By joining TechForce’s online network, applicants gain access to many other scholarships offered through TechForce™ in addition to the CRC scholarship.

To learn more about TechForce scholarships and the CRC-sponsored GTO build, visit: crcbuildforthefuture.com.

To learn more about CRC Industries, visit www.crcindustries.com or follow the CRC brand on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.

About CRC
CRC Industries, Inc. is a global leader in the production of specialty products and formulations for the do-it-yourselfer and maintenance professional—the people who keep everyone moving forward in a world that never stops. For more than 65 years, we’ve been rolling up our sleeves to create products and solutions that are born from, and tested in, the important work that gets done every day around the world. Serving the automotive, industrial, electrical, marine, heavy truck, hardware, and aviation markets, CRC trademarked brands include: CRC®, Brakleen®, Evapo-Rust®, K&W®, Marykate®, SmartWasher®, Sta-Lube®, and Weld-Aid®.

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Graphic that reads "You Don't Have to Tell Them, We Will. Techs Talk Gen Z Survey. All the Things Industry Doesn't Get..."

May 7, 2024May 14, 2024

TechForce Foundation Launches ‘Techs Talk’ Survey to Gain Insights from the Next Generation of Technicians

The survey will provide industry insights on the needs and expectations of future and newly employed working techs to best shape recruitment and retention strategies.

May 7, 2024 — PHOENIX, AZ — TechForce Foundation has launched its Techs Talk survey, designed to uncover insights into the perspectives, values, and experiences of aspiring technician students and new working technicians. The results of this study will enable industry, schools, and employers to adapt strategies to meet the evolving needs and desires of this up-and-coming workforce.

“Most technician surveys in the marketplace today are heavily skewed by responses from GenX and Boomers. TechForce Foundation wants to specifically gather insights from GenZ future techs and new working techs within their first two years of employment. This gives us better data in building the workforce going forward, and knowledge to address the crippling technician shortage,” says Jennifer Maher, CEO of TechForce Foundation.

The pressing national demand for top-tier technicians has created three job openings for every tech school graduate today. Despite the opportunity, many young people hesitate to commit to technician careers or quit being a tech after just two years of employment. “We hear anecdotal reasons ranging from the cost of training and tools, a desire for certain compensation or work/life balance, to stigmas or lack of clarity involving the career path. It’s time we have solid data as to what this aspiring workforce truly wants and needs.”

TechForce encourages all working technicians within their first two years of employment and all high school and post-secondary students enrolled in automotive, aviation, collision, diesel, restoration, welding, and other related programs to take the survey and let their voices be heard.

The survey, hosted by TechForce Foundation in partnership with Endeavor Business Intelligence, an independent market research firm, is designed to collect both quantitative and qualitative latitudinal data. The survey is anonymous so that participants are free to be transparent when sharing their voices. Results will be shared publicly, when available.

To take the survey, visit TechForce.org/Survey.

The Techs Talk Survey is the latest research from TechForce Foundation, a non-profit with the mission to champion all students to and through their technical education and into careers as professional technicians. Since 2017, TechForce has published its annual Technician Supply & Demand Report, analyzing education and employment trends in the automotive, collision repair, diesel, and aviation sectors. TechForce has also released a Women Techs Report summarizing tips on attracting and retaining women techs gathered from conversations with hundreds of women technicians.

About Endeavor Business Media
Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Endeavor Business Media was formed in 2017 to acquire and operate business media brands, events and marketing solutions. Today the company is one of the largest B2B Media companies in the US with more than 700 employees, 9,000 customers and a database of over 10 million business professionals. The company’s vehicle repair group features brands including Ratchet+Wrench, Motor Age, Modern Tire Dealer, PTEN, Professional Distributor, NOLN, FenderBender, and ABRN. The company serves business professionals and marketers in key business sectors such as aviation, buildings, construction, dental, electronics, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, networking systems, public safety, transportation, and water. The company has offices in Nashville, TN; Tulsa, OK; Nashua, NH; Birmingham, AL; Sarasota, FL; Skokie, IL; Fort Atkinson, WI; Houston, TX; Independence, OH; Fort Collins, CO, and Overland Park, KS. To learn more, visit www.endeavorbusinessmedia.com.

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