Leaders from the American Trucking Associations pledged this month that the trucking group would provide at least 50,000 people enhanced career opportunities as part of the Trump administration announcement to provide pathways to better careers for a half a million Americans.
"ATA is proud to be part of this effort to provide enhanced career opportunities to hard-working Americans," Chris Spear, the ATA president and CEO, said on Thursday. "Our nation's economy depends on our trucks moving goods from ports, factories and farms to stores and homes – and we depend on the millions of men and women who drive those trucks, maintain those trucks, load and unload those trucks and route those trucks."
“By signing the Pledge to America’s Workers, these great companies ... are affirming their commitment to train American workers for American jobs,” President Trump said. “Because America’s strength, America’s heart, and America’s soul is found in our people.”
Spears went on to say that the ATA appreciates President Trump and Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta "making this a priority and having the vision to follow through with today's executive order. We hope that through this workforce development effort, we will be able to connect more Americans to family-supporting incomes and address the persistent shortage we face in attracting enough well-trained workers to our industry. The economy is strong and unemployment is low, but there are critical shortages of skilled workers in sectors of the economy, like truck drivers, technicians and mechanics. We support these efforts to help ensure Americans have the skills and training needed to support the modern economy."
The ATA was represented at Thursday's White House event by past ATA Chairman Dan England, chairman of the board at C.R. England Inc. of Salt Lake City.
"C.R. England believes in providing hard-working Americans a path to a better life," England said. "That's why we work so hard at our driving schools and training facilities, giving people a place to learn important and valuable skills that can keep our industry and our economy moving.
"Our industry is under constant pressure to bring in new drivers and new technicians to replace an aging workforce and to keep up with the demands of a modern, just-in-time economy," he said. "Today's announcement underscores our commitment, and ATA's commitment, to doing all we can to provide opportunities for careers in trucking."
At the presidential announcement, the ATA pledged to offer enhanced career opportunities to 10,000 people a year, every year, for the next five years, bringing the total commitment to 50,000.
