Endeavor’s journalists have their finger on the pulse of what’s important to the industries they cover—and very often, workforce and talent issues are high on the list. Even in an economy where the labor market has cooled in many places, leading players in many of the markets Endeavor covers remain laser-focused on recruiting skilled workers and training the next generation.
See, for instance, Caterpillar’s pledge to put to work $100 million over the next five years to help equip workers with the technology-driven skills that come with advances such as artificial intelligence, analytics and the Internet of Things. It’s the company’s first such investment and it points to the scale of the workforce challenges digitalization is bringing with it.
Another case in point: On April 21, the leaders of Universal Technical Institute announced they plan to open a San Antonio campus early next year that will be the company’s first for skilled trades programs—and its first new campus of any kind since 2022. Pending the necessary approvals, the more-than-50,000-square-foot site will offer programs in aviation, welding, HVACR and an electrical training suite of wind, robotics, industrial maintenance and electrical/electronics.
Contractor’s Steve Spaulding wrote about workforce development in that magazine’s latest issue—specifically touching on how to get future generations interested in work such as welding, plumbing and carpentry: “Pride, value and possibility—that’s the package I think we need to be selling to young people.”
There’s lots of good work being done on that front—and some good new thinking emerging about how to approach the future. Here are a handful of other recent talent stories from across Endeavor; we promise we’ll stay on top of this.
Plant Services – How manufacturing partnerships with schools are evolving
Machine Design – How students at a Michigan high school are machining their future
American Machinist – Addressing the challenge of an aging workforce
Ratchet + Wrench – A new way to train auto technicians
Offshore – Workforce expectations in the traditional energy industry are shifting
EHS Today – It’s time for a change in education requirements for jobs
