FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SkillsUSA contacts: Jane DeShong Short or Karen Kitzel
703-777-8810, jshort@skillsusa.org or kkitzel@skillsusa.org
Volvo is launching promotion to celebrate the construction industry and support of students entering construction careers
SkillsUSA is joining forces with Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their articulated hauler. Volvo CE created a custom-painted “Golden Hauler,” which is traveling around the United States and Canada to make special appearances at local dealers. SkillsUSA members in transportation-related programs in several states will be invited to welcome the hauler at a local dealer near their school, before it leaves for the next location.
The Golden Hauler will appear at the 2016 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, where students can see the hauler up close and meet some of those involved in the project. It will end its journey in March 2017 at CONEXPO in Las Vegas, where it will be auctioned off. A portion of the proceeds will go to support SkillsUSA’s mission and training programs that encourage new generations to enter the construction industry. Volvo is also partnering with Skills Canada, and local career development programs near their manufacturing facility in Shippensburg, Pa.
“We are thrilled that Volvo is partnering with SkillsUSA to encourage young people to work in the construction industry, especially at a time when there’s a growing skills gap in this sector,” said Timothy W. Lawrence, executive director, SkillsUSA. “Our organization provides a verified talent pipeline to the construction trades through our local training programs and the SkillsUSA Championships. Through this partnership we will work to increase awareness of the construction industry as a rewarding career path, and training programs that can help launch successful careers. The current shortage of skilled workers could cost the United States economy up to $180 billion, according to the Associated Equipment Distributors. This is a problem we need to solve.”
Volvo CE introduced the articulated hauler in 1966, igniting a new range of construction equipment. Since then, more than 70,000 articulated haulers have been produced globally to transport a variety of materials across rough terrain. To celebrate the golden anniversary, Volvo CE’s team custom painted a A40G articulated hauler gold. The employees spent 650 hours painting the hauler to make it shine gold for its celebratory journey across the U.S. and Canada. To see a video about the golden hauler, go to:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW8zhmo4Vi4
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a vital solution to the growing U.S. skills gap. This nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry ensures America has the skilled workforce it needs to stay competitive. Founded in 1965 and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, the association serves more than 300,000 member students and instructors each year in middle schools, high schools and colleges. This diverse talent pipeline covers 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, the majority STEM-related. More than 600 corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA at the national level. SkillsUSA programs are integrated into career and technical education through a framework of personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. Local, state and national championships, designed and judged by industry, set relevant standards for career and technical education and provide needed recognition to its students. SkillsUSA also offers technical skill assessments and other workplace credentials. For more information, go to:
www.SkillsUSA.org.
