Photo courtesy of Caterpillar

Caterpillar Vice President of Distribution Jay Walton (R) presents a check to Associated Equipment Distributors EVP and COO Bob Henderson for $500,000 to the Associated Equipment Distributors Foundation.

Caterpillar Inc. announced a $500,000 donation to the Associated Equipment Distributors Foundation (AEDF) in support of AEDF's Vision 2025 Campaign.

The campaign is designed to address the technician shortage within the equipment distribution industry. It also is focused on strengthening the industry's future by improving programs offered to students across U.S. high schools and technical schools considered underserved in the technical skills space.

AEDF's recent skills assessment of the gap in the North American market for technician labor shows an anticipated 73,500 heavy equipment technician positions will be needed over the next five years.

"Caterpillar understands the importance of closing the skills gap in today's labor market and is focused on helping build solutions," said Asha Varghese, Caterpillar Inc. Corporate Social Responsibility leader. "We believe in supporting AEDF in its Vision 2025 Campaign to make a difference in addressing the critical skills gap and supporting solutions for greater workforce readiness."

Vision 2025 is designed to bring skills-based programs back to high schools to help enable career success for all learning and career pathways. Through AEDF's Vision 2025 Campaign, the AED Foundation has positively impacted thousands of students across the United States and Canada. The initiative is focused on recognizing at least 200 high school programs as AED Foundation Recognized High Schools, as well as accrediting a minimum of 120 college programs by 2027 to help allow for meaningful job placements for their students.

By hitting these benchmarks, the Vision 2025 Campaign is expected to create a strong pipeline of talent that could generate an additional:

• 10,000 skilled technicians entering the workforce.
• 5,000 AEDF certified technicians.
• 500 AEDF certified managers.

"The AED Foundation is grateful for Caterpillar's leadership and investment in our Vision 2025 campaign," said AED Foundation President Emeritus Bob Henderson. "Caterpillar's support, in conjunction with nearly 75 other investors, brings our Vision 2025 campaign to over $7 million. These investments provide the Foundation the sustainability needed to continue to be the heavy equipment industry's leader in workforce development."

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