SkillsUSA Contacts
Jane Short or Karen Kitzel
703-777-8810
jshort@skillsusa.org or
kkitzel@skillsusa.org
Tractor Supply Company
Mary Winn Pilkington, 615-440-4212
Rachel Layton Smith, 765-524-9465
Carhartt
Erica Salomon, 313-749-6632
Portion of proceeds from merchandise fundraiser will go to SkillsUSA to build trade, technical and skilled service training programs
Leesburg, Va., Sept. 7, 2022 — SkillsUSA has teamed up with Tractor Supply Company (TSC), Tractor Supply Foundation (TSC), and Carhartt for the “Support the Trades” campaign designed to raise awareness of the skilled trades while helping SkillsUSA close the skilled trades gap. This is the second year Tractor Supply stores will be the exclusive retailer of multiple styles of “Support the Trades” shirts and hats designed by Carhartt, America’s premium workwear brand, to benefit SkillsUSA.
Support the Trades merchandise is exclusively available in Tractor Supply stores and at
TractorSupply.com. Designed by Carhartt, the 2022 collection features short- and long-sleeve shirts in a variety of colors and three different hats. New this year, the line includes styles and fits made just for women. For every item sold, a portion of the proceeds are donated to
SkillsUSA, a nonprofit that serves middle-school, high-school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. Tractor Supply Company, the Tractor Supply Company Foundation and Carhartt have each committed to a $50,000 donation for a total of $150,000.
“We are thrilled and grateful to continue this incredibly rewarding partnership with Tractor Supply and Carhartt,” said SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis. “The Support the Trades campaign reflects the respect and dignity the skilled trades deserve nationwide, and it will empower so many young people to develop the personal and professional skills necessary to become champions at work and leaders for life.”
“Along with our partners Carhartt and SkillsUSA, Tractor Supply is committed to helping close the trade skills gap,” said Jeff Rietveld, Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager at Tractor Supply. “By purchasing the exclusive ‘Support the Trades’ merchandise, our customers are able to join with us to further the training of tomorrow’s workforce.”
There is an urgent need for skilled workers in the United States due to a shortage of a qualified workforce. A recent
Korn Ferry study reports the current talent shortage could create 85 million unfilled jobs and close to $8.5 trillion in unrealized revenues if unaddressed by 2030. Another study done by the
Manufacturing Institute projects there will be 2 million unfilled manufacturing jobs open over the next 10 years.
“We are inspired by the work SkillsUSA is doing to strengthen the workforce and proud to be working alongside Tractor Supply to support those efforts,” said Janet Ries, Vice President of Marketing at Carhartt. “We are committed to building a better world and excited to support those interested in a rewarding career in the skilled trades.”
To learn more or to purchase Support the Trades merchandise, please visit:
www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/cms/carhartt.
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen the nation’s skilled workforce. Driven by employer demand, SkillsUSA helps students develop necessary personal and workplace skills along with technical skills grounded in academics. This SkillsUSA Framework empowers every student to succeed at work and in life while helping to close the skills gap in which millions of skilled trades positions go unfilled. Through SkillsUSA’s Championships program and curricula, employers have long ensured schools are teaching relevant skills, and with SkillsUSA’s new credentialing process, they can now assess how ready potential employees are for the job. SkillsUSA has nearly 400,000 members nationwide in high schools, colleges and middle schools, covering over 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations. SkillsUSA is recognized by the U.S. departments of education and labor as integral to career and technical education. It has served nearly 14.2 million members since 1965. For more information, visit
www.skillsusa.org.
About Tractor Supply Company
Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO), the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, has been passionate about serving its unique niche, targeting the needs of recreational farmers, ranchers and all those who enjoy living the rural lifestyle, for more than 80 years. Tractor Supply offers an extensive mix of products necessary to care for home, land, pets and animals with a focus on product localization, exclusive brands and legendary customer service for the Out Here lifestyle. With nearly 48,000 Team Members, the Company’s physical store assets, combined with its digital capabilities, offer customers the convenience of purchasing products they need anytime, anywhere and any way they choose at the everyday low prices they deserve. At June 25, 2022, the Company operated 2,016 Tractor Supply stores in 49 states, a consumer mobile app and an e-commerce website at
TractorSupply.com.
Tractor Supply Company also owns and operates Petsense by Tractor Supply, a pet specialty supply retailer focused on meeting the needs of pet owners, primarily in small and mid-size communities, and offering a variety of pet products and services. At June 25, 2022, the Company operated 178 Petsense by Tractor Supply stores in 23 states. For more information on Petsense by Tractor Supply, visit
Petsense.com.
About The Tractor Supply Company Foundation
The Tractor Supply Company Foundation was established in 2020 and is committed to supporting vibrant rural communities for all by investing in the future of the Out Here Lifestyle through today’s youth, helping close the rural digital divide and being a good neighbor in the communities Tractor Supply calls home. The Foundation’s priority areas include agriculture education initiatives, broadband connectivity for rural America, caring for pets and animals and preserving land for future generations. The Foundation expands upon the charitable work of Tractor Supply Company, supporting causes that are important to customers and Team Members. In 2021 the Company donated over $14 million to charitable causes through direct giving, sponsorships, fundraisers and more. To learn more about The Tractor Supply Company Foundation, visit
Corporate.TractorSupply.com/Community.
About Carhartt
Established in 1889, Carhartt is a global premium workwear brand with a rich heritage of developing rugged products for workers on and off the job. Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, with approximately 5,400 employees worldwide, Carhartt is family-owned and managed by the descendants of the company’s founder, Hamilton Carhartt. For more information, visit
www.carhartt.com.
