NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A new
Wolverine survey revealed that
only nine percent of young people are entering the skilled trades,
a reality that could slow the construction of America's homes,
roads, and buildings, and ultimately impact the country's growing
population. With more than six million unfilled U.S. jobs and less
young people joining the trades, America is facing a "skills gap"
where there are more skilled jobs available than qualified people
to fill them.
Wolverine, known for making
durable work boots for more than 135 years, is raising awareness
for the trades as an attractive career path with their Project
Bootstrap program. While originally visiting jobs sites and
apprentice schools to thank those committed to the trades, this
year Wolverine signed three
up-and-coming trade workers from across the country to "Team
Wolverine." In addition to being the faces of the brand, Team
Wolverine attended a signing day event on Wednesday, Nov. 14, in New York City with Mike Rowe.
The members of Team Wolverine include:
- Nolee Anderson
(Nashville, Tennessee): Nolee is a
trim carpenter, mikeroweWORKS scholarship recipient, and founder of
GRIT, a program that mentors young girls interested in the
trades.
- Hunter Allums
(New Orleans, Louisiana): Hunter
is an apprentice electrician whose interest in the trades began
when he was introduced to unCommon Construction, a New Orleans non-profit that helps high school
students learn real-world technical skills.
- Andrew Lacy (Charleston, South Carolina): Andrew is a
veteran who went back to school to attend the American College of
Building Arts and become a timber framer.
"Supporting the skilled trades has always been important to us.
Nolee, Andrew and Hunter represent the drive, grit and work ethic
of those in the trades," said Andrew
Shripka, vice president of marketing for Wolverine. "We are committed to championing
Team Wolverine this year and hope to inspire others to join them in
2019."
Mike Rowe, best known as the
executive producer and host of Dirty Jobs and CEO of the
mikeroweWORKS Foundation, attended and spoke at the event about
society's dysfunctional relationship with work and the belief that
a four-year degree is the only path for most people.
"We know that America is facing a shortage of skilled trade
workers—an issue that will only continue to grow if we don't
correct the misperceptions about life in the trades," said Rowe.
"Initiatives like Wolverine's
Project Bootstrap help show young people that the career values
they want are readily available through the trades."
The event featured interactive art installations that
highlighted additional skills gap statistics from Wolverine's survey, which included:
- 69 percent of the high school students surveyed
indicated that they are not familiar with careers in the
skilled trades. Among those who were familiar, only 7 percent are
very familiar.
- When asked why high school students haven't considered the
trades more strongly, 45 percent said they just don't know
enough about it.
- 81 percent of students said they feel some level of
pressure to attend college, which comes from a variety of
sources including parents and teachers
- When it comes to job qualities they want, students indicated
things like feeling independent, not sitting in a desk all day,
and having job security—many of which align with what a job in
the trades can provide.
Wolverine will continue to
build Team Wolverine and advocate for the trades in 2019. To learn
more about current team members and how you can join, visit
Wolverine.com/ProjectBootstrap.
ABOUT WOLVERINE
Wolverine is a Michigan-based footwear and apparel company
that has been making durable work boots with the highest-quality
materials for more than 135 years. Committed to supporting those in
the skilled trades, Wolverine's
Project Bootstrap program visits job sites and trade schools,
donating work boots to those who build America's houses, roads and
valuable infrastructure. In 2018, they formed Team Wolverine to
support individuals that personify the drive, grit and work ethic
of those in the trades to help close the skills gap. For more
information, visit www.wolverine.com.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
The survey was commissioned by Wolverine and conducted by Edelman
Intelligence, a full-service consumer research firm. Fielded
between Sept. 21-Oct. 3, 2018, the
online questionnaire surveyed 1,000 high school-aged students ages
16-18. As a member of The Insights Association in good standing,
Edelman Intelligence conducts all research in accordance with MRA
Marketing Research Standards and adheres to the CASRO Code of
Standards and Ethics.
ABOUT THE MIKEROWEWORKS FOUNDATION
The mikeroweWORKS Foundation is a on a mission to help close the
skills gap by highlighting the millions of vocational opportunities
that people often overlook by publicly challenging myths and
misperceptions about these jobs. Through its scholarship
programs, like the Work Ethic Scholarship Program, the
mikeroweWORKS Foundation encourages people to learn the trades that
help sustain civilized life and provides financial assistance to
people willing to learn a trade that's in demand. Since
its inception, the mikeroweWORKS Foundation has granted, or helped
facilitated the granting of, more than $5
million in technical and vocational education for trade
schools across the country.
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SOURCE Wolverine