Stanley Black &
Decker (SBD)
announced today it is launching a five-year, up to $25 million initiative to
fund vocational skills training and reskilling programs in the construction and
manufacturing sectors. Beginning Oct. 1, nonprofits around the globe can apply
for grants as part of the “Empower Makers” Global Impact Challenge.
SBD joins a growing number of companies using their resources to educate and
equip the next generation of workers to excel in in-demand industries including
tech,
agriculture, culinary and
hospitality
— with particular effort to reach underrepresented groups. The “Empower Makers”
program is a critical component of the company’s CSR
program
that includes a goal to empower 10 million makers — the number of global
manufacturing jobs that remain unfilled due to a shortage of workers with the
right skills — by 2030. To date, SBD’s efforts have centered on
STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics)
education
— now, the Impact Challenge aims to skill and reskill up to three million
construction and manufacturing workers over the next five years.
Due to a lack of skilled trade workers, there are 430,000 open construction
jobs
in the US alone, and 10 million unfilled manufacturing
jobs
globally. The pandemic has exacerbated this problem, with millions of workers
displaced since early 2020. In addition, the shift to remote and hybrid learning
significantly impacted career and technical education (CTE) schools and classes,
which rely heavily on hands-on learning. Almost 60
percent
of CTE administrators reported lower enrollment in their programs for 2021.
“Stanley Black & Decker is for the makers, the builders and the tradespeople —
those out doing the hard work to create the world around us and build a better
future for themselves, their families and their communities,” said SBD CEO Jim
Loree. “Over the last several decades, vocational schools and careers in the
trades have been overshadowed — despite the excellent, well-paying jobs and
career paths they offer. Our goal is to recognize and advance those
organizations that are working to create the skilled workers and tradespeople of
the future that our society needs. For those workers displaced by the pandemic —
especially women, people of
color
and veterans — we want to encourage them to trade up to a career in the trades.”
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Stanley Black & Decker also aims to change misconceptions about skilled trade
jobs, including the notion that these careers are not financially rewarding. A
report from Rock the
Trades
shows that many workers in skilled trades earn much more than the US national
average salary ($53,000) — including electricians who can make up to $96,000
per year, or aircraft mechanics who can make more than $100,000 per year.
Meanwhile, the average cost of a four-year college degree is $127,000 vs.
$33,000 for a trade school
program.
The Global Impact Challenge
This year, SBD’s “Empower Makers” Global Impact Challenge will award up to $5
million in grants to nonprofits supporting trade workforce development
initiatives. Submissions will be evaluated based on multiple criteria —
including but not limited to number of people served, outcomes projected,
sustainable impact, depth of programs, diversity and more. Nonprofits can apply
at EmpowerMakers.com between October 1 through
October 31 — which coincides with SBD’s annual Maker
Month.
“Stanley Black & Decker’s support of the skilled trades is fantastic for the
nonprofit community,” said Shelley Halstead, founder of Baltimore’s
Black Women Build — which trains Black women in
carpentry, electrical and plumbing skills by restoring vacant and deteriorated
houses in West Baltimore. “Organizations like ours work really hard to make an
impact in our communities and provide the training for women to have fulfilling
careers. But it’s pretty much impossible without financial support from
companies or individuals who believe in what we do. We will definitely be
applying for an Impact Challenge grant so we can introduce more women and
minorities to the trades and close the skills gap.”
More information about the Impact Challenge can be found here.
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Sep 14, 2021 2pm EDT / 11am PDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST