The leadership of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) - ACCA Chairman Eric Knaak (Isaac Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.), Barton James (ACCA President), and Todd Washam (ACCA Vice President of Government Affairs), joined with President Trump yesterday at the White House – to celebrate the Pledge to America’s Workers, which recognizes the crucial role companies play in educating and training the American workforce. By singing the pledge, companies and trade groups commit to creating new opportunities over the next five years for American students and workers, whether through apprenticeship and work-based learning, continuing education, on-the-job training, and or reskilling.
The meeting opened with remarks from President Trump, followed by an open dialogue with participants, those organizations and trade groups that have signed the pledge). Vice President Pence, Ivanka Trump, and cabinet officials were also in attendance.
ACCA’s priorities on workforce:
- According to an ACCA survey, 90 percent of contractors believe that the trade and technical schools are not providing job ready candidates
- Workforce development is ACCA’s highest priority as determined by ACCA’s members
- ACCA has helped secure increased funding for schools, but contractors have already begun to build their own training programs
- Dozens of ACCA members have invested in infrastructure, educators, and trainers to create technical training programs that prepare men and women for careers and advancement
- The Trump Administration’s focus on connecting contractors and schools through the Federal Work Study program will be a great program for ACCA members
- ACCA has taken what was learned through the National Apprenticeship Taskforce and launched an updated workforce development website: https://www.acca.org/members/industry/workforce-development-resources
- ACCA’s workforce development website helps contractors establish school-to-career co-op programs
- ACCA’s workforce website helps contractors get involved with school advisory boards so they can steer education programs toward in-demand jobs like the HVACR industry
- ACCA can work with Administration officials to arrange educational site visits to ACCA members across the country so they can see firsthand how contractors are creating in-house training programs that will help men and women develop career paths.
Watch for a full article soon in Contracting Business.