Chantilly, Va. – The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), the leader in promoting quality and excellence in the sheet metal and air conditioning industry, today joined President Donald Trump and senior officials at the White House to celebrate the Pledge to America’s Workers. Under the pledge, SMACNA has committed to creating 17,000 industry jobs to positively impact workforce development.
“Our entire industry, from our contractor members and their employees to our labor partners and the crafts persons they represent, and everyone in between, believes in equipping our talented workforce with the skills they need to have a successful career in this industry,” said Vince Sandusky, CEO of SMACNA. “We are committed to building a sustainable workforce and are proud to pledge our support alongside other national organizations and companies.”
The Pledge to America’s Workers is an initiative through the National Council for the American Worker to expand job opportunities across high-demand industries. The White House event brought together representatives from several national associations, including SMACNA, to celebrate a landmark of six million new job opportunities pledged through the initiative.
As part of its pledge, SMACNA will enhance the industry’s workforce by creating job opportunities for 17,000 individuals over the next five years. Through education, training and professional development programs, SMACNA will partner with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) to invest in jobs across labor and management roles.
“Investing in the workforce today means that we support the leaders of tomorrow, and we have an obligation to give those workers their best chance at success,” said Sandusky.
Through its continued workforce development initiatives, SMACNA has worked closely with the Construction Employers Association and other labor partners to operate more than 1,100 apprenticeship training centers across the country and invest more than $1.3 billion annually in training programs. In addition to improving the nation’s overall economic competitiveness and quality of life, investment in skilled apprenticeship training and infrastructure represent a significant job creation opportunity across the construction industry.
To learn more about SMACNA, visit www.smacna.org.
ABOUT SMACNA:
SMACNA is an international trade association representing 3,500 contributing contractor firms and is a leader in promoting quality and excellence in the sheet metal and air conditioning industry. SMACNA members are responsible for effectively delivering the clean air Americans breathe in offices, homes, and hospitals; for many of the attractive facades you see on today’s stadiums and office buildings; and for the comfortable, healthy, and safe living environments in which our citizens live out their daily lives. SMACNA has national offices in Chantilly, Va., outside of Washington, D.C., and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit www.smacna.org.
