Trimble Forms National Workforce Development Partnership with SkillsUSA

Construction technology firm Trimble has formed a nationwide partnership with SkillsUSA, one of the largest workforce development organizations in the U.S. for students.

Under the terms of the partnership, Trimble will provide construction technology education access to students around America in an effort to help close the industry’s growing labor gap. The career and technical education will integrate advanced modeling and geospatial tools in U.S. classrooms, as well as trade training programs and national competitions.

“The true test of innovation is whether it empowers others to achieve more,” says Ian Warner, director of industry workforce development at Trimble. “By equipping SkillsUSA students with Trimble technology, we are moving beyond traditional training to ensure the next generation can connect the physical and digital worlds to build more efficiently and sustainably.”

The collaboration’s wider goal is to help prepare the future workforce, as the construction industry’s current demands call for 450,000 new field professionals in 2027.

Optimizing for the workforce of the future

Trimble currently works with both higher education institutions as well as K-12 schools across the U.S. The partnership with SkillsUSA is just another piece of that program as the manufacturing and construction sectors aim to combat a growing, industry-wide labor issue.

The youth problem plaguing construction and equipment firms hasn’t been for lack of trying, as Trimble also announces its sponsorship of the National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC). The conference will support competitions in drafting, drone technology, and equipment operation among students. Additionally, SkillsUSA has held technical sessions for advisors in an effort to discuss how Trimble technology fits within the classroom.

“Collaborating with industry leaders like Trimble allows our students to work with the latest technology, preparing them to be career-ready from their first day on the job,” says Chelle Travis, executive director of SkillsUSA.

SkillsUSA represents over 400,000 career and technical education students and teachers across the U.S. The association’s members represent more than 130 occupational areas, ranging from 3D animation to construction and welding.