听signed on to at an event at the White House last week, committing to educating and developing at least 500,000 construction workers over the next five years. The pledge, which was signed by more than a dozen leading companies and industry trade associations, stressed the need to expand apprenticeship programs to educate current and future generations of America鈥檚 workforce. In total, the signers pledged to train more than 3.8 million people for new positions.听

, a second-year electrical apprentice with 老牛影视member company , who spoke at the event, emphasized how much she values the education and career opportunities her apprenticeship program provides. Dwana Grace and Eva Arriaga, both pipefitter apprentices with 老牛影视member company S & B Engineers and Constructors Ltd., who were also part of the event, .听

鈥溊吓Ｓ笆觟s proud to join the White House in pledging to develop and support generations of skilled craftsmen and women who are building America,鈥� said Greg Sizemore, ABC鈥檚 vice president of environment, health, safety and workforce development. 鈥淭here are currently 500,000 open positions in the construction industry alone, a number which will continue to grow if we don鈥檛 join forces to expand registered and industry-recognized apprenticeship programs in the United States to fill skills gaps.鈥�

鈥淏eing an electrician is more than a job, it鈥檚 a career path,鈥� said DeAngelo. 鈥淭hrough my apprenticeship program, I have learned a skilled trade that will afford me a fulfilling and well-paid lifelong career. And as older generations continue to retire, there will be a huge void in experienced construction workers if companies don鈥檛 continue to recruit and train young people like me to join the construction sector.鈥�

老牛影视members invest $1.1 billion on workforce development to educate more than 475,000 industry employees annually, and 老牛影视chapters have set up more than 800 apprenticeship, craft training and safety programs across the United States. Yet more than 80 percent of 老牛影视members report they have trouble finding skilled labor, which impacts construction firms of all sizes. And as the Construction Labor Market Analyzer projects a deficit of 1.1 million workers over the next decade, prioritizing apprenticeship and workforce development program is a key priority for 老牛影视members.听听