Across the country, students and their families are looking forward to what the new year may have in store. One nonprofit, TechForce Foundation, is working to help many of them discover a path they might not have considered: a career working as a transportation technician.
There is a massive workforce shortage in the transportation industry, and thousands of students across the country are looking for an education and career path that suits their strengths. TechForce Foundation’s mission is to help students and parents recognize that a career as a technician is a valid and achievable alternative to a four-year college degree — or no degree at all.
On Tuesday, Jan. 21, TechForce Foundation launched the “Be a Pathfinder” campaign to highlight education and career opportunities for students who have a natural talent for working with their hands. The “Be a Pathfinder” resources let students and their parents identify their learning styles through a quiz, and receive a free report with tailor-made tips for career and education success. If students take the learning style quiz during the campaign (Jan. 21 - Jan. 31), they will also be entered to win a TechForce Foundation gift package, including a $50 Shell gift card and other prizes.
“The learning style quiz and personalized resources not only help students and parents recognize the opportunities of a career as a transportation technician, but also help them understand how and why they’re a fit for these careers,” TechForce Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Maher said.
The campaign encourages students to be “pathfinders” by understanding their unique strengths and using that knowledge to find the best education and career path. TechForce Foundation is also encouraging parents, teachers, and other influential figures in teens’ lives to embrace and support technical and hands-on career paths that may be a good fit for those students.
Studies indicate that the U.S. will need 1.2 million new technicians to join the workforce within the next 10 years. That translates to about 120,000 new jobs per year available to aspiring automotive, diesel, motorcycle, and other transportation professionals.
“Though there are many viable, high-paying job opportunities in STEM-related careers like those in the transportation technician field, students have been told a traditional four-year degree is the only path to success,” said Maher. “The truth is that we’re all wired differently, and hands-on learners can thrive in these positions.”
Students and their parents can take the quiz by visiting TechForce.org/MyPath. The campaign will run Jan. 21 through Jan. 31, with various videos, stories, and resources available on TechForce Foundation’s website, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
