American Trucking Associations (ATA) leaders recently pledged that the group would create career opportunities for 10,000 people annually for the next five years.
The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s signing of an executive order to increase training opportunities and close the skills gap.
“Our industry is under constant pressure to bring in new drivers and new technicians to replace an aging workforce and to keep up with the demands of a modern, just-in-time economy,” ATA Chairman Dan England said. “Today’s announcement underscores our commitment, and ATA’s commitment, to doing all we can to provide opportunities for careers in trucking.”
The executive order establishes career opportunities in all age groups from college to retirement including apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and vocational education. The aim is to help companies find qualified workers, a big issue in some industries.
The initiative could create 500,000 new job opportunities in the United States, the White House said.
ATA hopes it can address the persistent shortage in the trucking industry, Chris Spear, ATA president and CEO, said.
The executive order also creates the National Council for the American Worker. The council will focus on industries that have a number of job openings.
Members of educational institutions, the private sector, and other organizations will form a separate, unnamed, advisory board.