The Construction Forum (St. Louis): Darryl Matthews of Sunnyvale, Calif.-based technology company Trimble, Inc, nominated The Construction Forum, which focuses on workforce, inclusion/diversity, regionalism, and collaboration in their effort to understand the barriers facing youth entering the workforce, and ending the cycle of poverty in St. Louis, by encouraging careers in regional construction.

Equipment & Engine Training Council (York, S.C.): Jake Gaylord of Munich and Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based construction equipment manufacturer Wacker Neuson nominated the council.  The EETC was developed to address a skills gap for students wanting to repair and maintain agricultural, turf, mining, construction, and utility machines that are becoming increasingly complex.  By teaching middle and high school students the basics of engines, electricity, hydraulics, pneumatics, and mechanical systems, and influencing future technicians earlier on, the EETC hopes to narrow that skills gap.

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin (Milwaukee): Carl Jensen of Waukesha, Wis.-based component manufacturer Husco International nominated Junior Achievement, which offers financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work-readiness programs to youth throughout the entire K-12 spectrum.  Part of their curriculum, called JA BizTown, allows elementary school students to operate an entire town, including running banks, working in supply chain, checking inventory, and voting for a mayor.  Around 150,000 students participate in a Junior Achievement program each year.

National Association of Ag Educators (Lexington, Ky.): The National Association of Ag Educators’ Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education was nominated by Mark Core of Pella, Iowa-based agricultural and industrial equipment manufacturer Vermeer Corporation.  CASE gets secondary and post-secondary students to work together with industry to increase enrollment in technician degree programs at two-year institutions.  CASE has also developed a course teaching 10th through 12th graders focusing on technical skills that agricultural service technicians will need in a mechanics career.

Transition to Career Program (Harper, Kan.): Luke Thornton of Harper, Kan.-based agricultural, turf, and landscape equipment manufacturer Harper Industries nominated Transition to Career. T2C acts as a liaison between Harper County school districts and community businesses, provides speakers to area high schools to talk about careers, sets up job shadows, and supports businesses who train student interns.  T2C also hosts a “Manufacturing Day” and a “Reality U” financial literacy program once each year.