SkillsUSA
Setting students up for success
By Emma Peterson. As SkillsUSA celebrates its 62nd year, we take a look at all the work they have done for students around the country. In a new episode of Contractor Outlook™, Heidi J. Ellsworth got the chance to sit down with Chelle Travis, the executive director of SkillsUSA. SkillsUSA is the ...
Tomorrow’s workforce starts with today’s industry connections
By The Coffee Shops®. Your industry’s next generation is in today’s classrooms — help students discover what’s possible by connecting with local schools and CTSO programs. During the Oregon CTSO Academy for Chapter Excellence Conference in Ashland, Oregon, on October 8-10, an industry trends panel discussion was hosted that focused on the ...
The future of the trades starts with showing up
By Lauren White. Students, educators and industry partners connected at Oregon’s Academy for Chapter Excellence to explore career pathways and help shape the future workforce. Building the future workforce starts long before someone applies for their first job. That message stayed with me after attending the Oregon CTSO Academy for Chapter Excellence ...
Training the next generation of metal roofing pros
By The Coffee Shops®. Learn how training, mentorship and industry engagement can help contractors recruit and develop the future workforce. The future of metal roofing and construction depends on attracting skilled workers and helping them succeed from day one. In a recent MetalCast™ episode, host Karen Edwards sat down with Jon Olson ...
SkillsUSA, Arconic Foundation partner to create skill-building learning experiences through chapter grants
Two advocates for roofing's future join forces. SkillsUSA, the #1 workforce development organization for students, announces a partnership with Arconic Foundation, an organization committed to funding nonprofit and community organizations that enhance education through skill-building learning experiences, advance environmental sustainability and meet essential human needs. The partnership formalizes Arconic Foundation’s support ...
Supporting the next generation while solving today’s labor challenges
By The Coffee Shops®. Contractor support starts with workforce development and practical jobsite solutions. Labor shortages continue to challenge contractors across roofing, metal construction and other skilled trades. According to Rich Benninghoff, CEO of The Malco Group, manufacturers have an important role to play in helping contractors work more efficiently ...
How hard work and a childhood dream shaped this welder
By Emma Peterson. Mikala Sposito took top honors at the SkillsUSA competition. Now, she turns her sights to the 2026 WorldSkills Competition. When Mikala Sposito, a 21-year-old student at Washtenaw Community College (WCC) in Michigan, entered the U.S.A. Weld Trials earlier this year, she was ready to put her best foot forwards ...
Turning education into real-world roofing careers
By The Coffee Shops®. Students apply classroom training, meet industry professionals and discover career opportunities in roofing. For students exploring the trades, understanding what a career might actually looks like can be difficult without firsthand experience. In an episode of Roofing Road Trips® sponsored by National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), ...
The next generation of roofers are learning essential skills with Leister tools
By Brittany Wykle, Leister. By investing in students today, Leister is helping build a stronger, more skilled workforce for the future of the roofing industry. The roofing industry is essential to protecting homes, businesses and communities from the elements. It is a rewarding trade that offers financial stability, job security ...
Building roofing’s national apprenticeship blueprint
The most valuable thing exchanged during the National Roofing Apprenticeship Program’s July 8 visit to Advanced Roofing was not a presentation or a statistic, it was candor. For a full day, Advanced Roofing CEO and Founder Rob Kornahrens and Workforce Development Manager Joey Lee walked their visitors through nearly a decade ...
