The AED Foundation (AEDF) announced a significant change to Vision 2025, a five-year-long campaign focused on providing industry education opportunities to reduce the workforce shortage. This transformation includes raising the goal for the number of recognized high schools from 50 schools to 150 schools.

The decision comes after the Foundation surveyed industry members on Vision 2025 goals, which noted that more participation from students at the high school level is needed.

AEDF's recognition efforts aim to provide more students the opportunity to start a career path to become heavy equipment technicians. In addition to recognition efforts, the Foundation has developed additional resources over the past year to further education opportunities, including the Construction Career Aptitude Test and AEDF's Stackable Credentials Program, both aimed at students at the high school level.

By implementing additional school recognition efforts into Vision 2025, AEDF hopes to provide more students with the opportunity to obtain a quality technical education. This, in turn, will lead to more technicians entering dealerships, effectively reducing the industry workforce shortage.

The AED Foundation's Executive Vice President and COO, Jason Blake, said, "Recognition is a necessary step for students to become top-tier technicians upon entering the workforce. Right now, it is more important than ever to ensure schools across the country are upholding education standards that meet recognition requirements, as excellent education translates to qualified industry technicians.

"AEDF advocates for industry members to work with high schools in their respective areas to achieve recognition status."

As dealership support is a requirement for high school programs to become recognized by the Foundation, AEDF recommends dealerships work with local schools to achieve this distinction. In turn, programs will be better suited to meet industry needs and provide a pipeline for students to enter careers at dealerships after completing their education.

Through the support of local schools and dealerships, the Foundation is raising the standard of industry technicians across North America while combatting the workforce shortage in the process, the Foundation said.

For more information on the high school recognition process, contact AED Regional Manager, Sean Fitzgerrel, at sfitzgerrel@aednet.org or visit aedfoundation.org.

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