BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — September 1, 2022 — Tractor Supply Co., the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, the Tractor Supply Company Foundation and Carhartt, America’s premium workwear brand, today announced the second year of the “Support the Trades” line to further help close the country’s skilled trades gap.
Support the Trades merchandise is exclusively available in Tractor Supply stores and at TractorSupply.com. Designed by Carhartt, the 2022 collection features short- and long-sleeve shirts in a variety of colors and three different hats. New this year, the line includes styles and fits made just for women. For every item sold, a portion of the proceeds are donated to SkillsUSA, a nonprofit that serves middle-school, high-school and college/post-secondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. Tractor Supply Company, the Tractor Supply Company Foundation and Carhartt have each committed to a $50,000 donation for a total of $150,000.
There is an urgent need for skilled workers in the United States due to a shortage of a qualified workforce. A recent Korn Ferry study reports the current talent shortage could create 85 million unfilled jobs and close to $8.5 trillion in unrealized revenues if unaddressed by 2030. Another study done by the Manufacturing Institute projects there will be 2 million unfilled manufacturing jobs open over the next 10 years.
“Along with our partners Carhartt and SkillsUSA, Tractor Supply is committed to helping close the trade skills gap,” said Jeff Rietveld, vice president, Divisional Merchandise manager at Tractor Supply. “By purchasing the exclusive Support the Trades merchandise, our customers are able to join with us to further the training of tomorrow’s workforce.”
SkillsUSA partners with students, teachers and industry professionals to build America’s skilled workforce. Their proven framework provides students with workplace and technical skills grounded in academics, as well as valuable industry connections. Its curriculum covers 130 job categories, creating a pipeline of talented entry-level workers. With the donation from the Support the Trades campaign, SkillsUSA can expand its reach and offer its training capabilities to even more students.
“We are thrilled and grateful to continue this incredibly rewarding partnership with Tractor Supply and Carhartt,” said SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis. “The Support the Trades campaign reflects the respect and dignity the skilled trades deserve nationwide, and it will empower so many young people to develop the personal and professional skills necessary to become champions at work and leaders for life.”
“We are inspired by the work SkillsUSA is doing to strengthen the workforce and proud to be working alongside Tractor Supply to support those efforts,” said Janet Ries, vice president of marketing at Carhartt. “We are committed to building a better world and excited to support those interested in a rewarding career in the skilled trades.”
In 2021, Tractor Supply and Carhartt launched the Support the Trades exclusive collection, and each committed a $50,000 donation benefiting SkillsUSA.
Posted: September 5, 2022
Source: Tractor Supply Company
