51
COMMENT
Who’s who at the
Specialized Carriers
&Rigging Association
CHAIRMAN
RonMontgomery
Intermountain Rigging & Heavy Haul
Salt Lake City, UT
PRESIDENT
AlanBarnhart
Barnhart Crane and Rigging
Memphis, TN
VICE PRESIDENT
Bruce Forster
Rigging Gear Sales
Dixon, IL
TREASURER
DelynnBurkhalter
Burkhalter
Columbus, MS
ASSISTANT TREASURER
JohnMcTyre
McTyre Trucking
Orlando, FL
ALLIED INDUSTRIESGROUP CHAIRMAN
Eddy Kitchen
, Kitchens Crane &
Equipment
Chesterfield, VA
CRANE&RIGGINGGROUP CHAIRMAN
Larry Curran
, JJ Curran Crane Company
Detroit, MI
LADIESGROUP CHAIRWOMAN
KarenWood
,Wheco
Richland,WA
TRANSPORTATIONGROUP CHAIRMAN
Jay Folladori
, Landstar
Jacksonville, FL
SC&R FOUNDATIONOFFICERS
President:
RobertMoore,
NBIS
Atlanta, GA
Vice President:
Stephanie Bragg,
Bragg Companies
Long Beach, CA
Treasurer:
Jim Sever
PSC Crane & Rigging,
Piqua, OH
“W
orkforcedevelopment”
hasbecomea term
representativeof
community economicdevelopment in
any economic climate, and certainly
withinone that has seen the financial
ebband flow synonymouswith the last
near-decade. Ingeneral, the termhas
come todescribe a relativelywide rangeof
activities, policies andprogramsdeveloped
to cultivate, sustainand retainaviable
workforce that can support current and
futurebusiness inaparticular industry.
Such endeavors areoftendefinedas
developmental trainingprograms that
provide existingandpotentialworkers
with the skills to complete tasksneeded
by employers to let theorganizations stay
competitive inaglobalmarketplace.With
that inmind, it is critically important
thatwe start attracting, educatingand
retainingyoungworkers toour industry.
Therefore, SpecializedCarriers&
RiggingAssociation (SC&RA),KHL
Groupand theNationalCommission
for theCertificationofCraneOperators
(NCCCO) are taking the first step
together towards addressing this issueby
teamingup tohost a careerspromotion
event inChicago inmid-Juneof this year,
titledLift&MoveUSA. The effort also
has the full support ofChicago-based
industry leader, ImperialCrane–who
will host an evening reception thenight
of the event.
This first-of-its-kind endeavorwill
promote careers in theU.S. crane, rigging
and specialized transport industries, and
help employers find thenext generation
of operators, engineers, riggers, drivers,
mechanics and sales staff. The event
will look toattract high school students,
youngpeople studyingat communityand
technical colleges, truckdriver training
program students, crane school students
andmilitaryveterans andpersonnel.
Over the courseof twodays, Lift
&MoveUSAwill provide attendees
with expert adviceon careers and job
opportunitiesworkingwith crane rental
companies, specialized transportation
businesses and equipmentmanufacturers.
Participantswill cover awide range
of industry-related information, from
typesof jobs available, expected salaries,
opportunities for certificationand career
progression to case studies showing the
typesof activities inwhich employers are
currently engaged.
SC&RAwill extenda special invite to
local students and instructormembers
of SkillsUSA–anational organization
that helps studentsprepare for careers in
technical, skilledand serviceoccupations.
Everyyear,more than300,000 students
and teachers joinSkillsUSA,which
improves thequalityofAmerica’s skilled
workforce througha structuredprogram
of citizenship, leadership, employability,
technical andprofessional skills training.
Theorganizationhas 13,000 school
chapters in54 state and territorial
associations, aswell asmore than14,500
instructors andadministrators, andwe’re
extremelyproud tohave themon the
team.
Roughly55percent of new jobs are
skilled.Manufacturingand transportation
used toprovide avast portionof high
school graduateswith long-term jobs,
with construction filling in the cracks.
But thehousing/economicdownturn
eliminateda lot of thoseopportunities
forworkerswithout collegedegrees. If
our industry is to right itself andbegin to
revitalize its skilledworker force,wehave
to take the initiative and reachout to this
deeppool of potential employees.
We alsohave to remember that
millennials are an extremely largegroup
–arguably the largest generation ever. In
thenext tenyears, 40millionmillennials
will comeof age and enter theworkforce
– including themanymillions that are
already in it. This generation represents
an enormous asset in theU.S. – thus
givingus a competitive edge in the future.
Our youngpeople shouldbe
encouraged toparticipate inhigh school
careerdays, vocationalworkshops and
similar events– there’snobetter time
thannow. SC&RAhopes that Lift&Move
USA is the first step towards effectively
addressingand resolving the skilled
worker shortage acrossAmerica.
To follow this endeavor, visitwww.
scranet.org.
■
FEBRUARY 2015
ACT
SC&RA teams up
with KHL andNCCCO
to cultivate the next
generation.
EXECUTIVEVICE PRESIDENT
Joel Dandrea
5870 Trinity Centre
Parkway,
Suite 200
Centreville, VA
20120
Ph: 703-698-0291
Fax: 703-698-0297
Lift&MoveUSA
