SkillsUSA, a student-led collaboration between education and industry devoted to building the nation's skilled workforce, on Apr. 3 announced a partnership with Aerotek, Inc., a company specializing in placing light industrial and skilled trades talent in the manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation and facility management industries.
The new partnership will provide Aerotek's "Make Your Mark" scholarships to SkillsUSA members. The scholarships aim to provide critical financial assistance for those in need to pursue continued skills education and improved economic outcomes.
Per a press release, the program will award scholarships of up to $5,000 each to SkillsUSA members in the following trade areas:
- Arts, A/V and Communications (Telecommunications Cabling only)
- Architecture & Construction
- Information Technology
- Manufacturing
- STEM
- Transportation
The new scholarships are not for four-year schools. Applications will be accepted from April 3 through April 30, 2023.
A critical need for skills training
Aerotek said it aims to invest in the communities it serves by establishing partnerships that help empower people to achieve both their personal and professional aspirations. The organizations noted that the joint scholarship program supports the SkillsUSA career model and aligns with SkillsUSA and Aerotek's shared strategic goal to expand the skilled workforce and remove barriers of entry for the future generation of workers. The two organizations first partnered in 2021.
Chelle Travis, executive director at SkillsUSA, commented:
"There is a critical need for underserved populations to receive skills training. These scholarships will help to fulfill the need and we sincerely thank Aerotek for providing them to our students. Working together with Aerotek, we can help close the skills gap."
With deep expertise in the manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation and facility management industries, Aerotek is an operating company within global staffing specialist Allegis Group. The company notes that over the course of more than 40 years, it has built a reputation for providing the highest-quality staffing and workforce management solutions. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., the firm operates a unified network of over 250 offices across North America, partnering with more than 13,000 clients and 200,000 light industrial and skilled trades contract employees annually.
Aerotek president Tom Kelly remarked:
"The skilled labor shortage is stifling growth for businesses and employees across each industry we serve. We are thrilled to partner with SkillsUSA to provide 'Make Your Mark' scholarships that will help students pursue upskilling opportunities and serve to expand the talent pipeline with hard-to-find skills that are desperately needed."
To learn more, visit www.skillsusa.org and www.aerotek.com.
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