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Reducing the Gap in Skilled Trades Can Be Solved by Boosting Trade Education Initiatives

This episode of Straight Outta Crumpton examines the growing skilled trades workforce gap driven by a generational workforce exodus. Host Greg Crumpton and guest Lance Furuyama discuss how boosting trade education initiatives can attract and prepare the next generation of skilled workers. The conversation highlights practical strategies for industries and educators to collaborate on closing the gap.

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By Greg Crumpton · Greg CrumptonLance FuruyamaSkilled TradesStraight Outta Crumpton
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Key takeaways

01

A generational workforce exodus is accelerating the skilled trades shortage across multiple industries.

02

Expanding and improving trade education programs is a key lever for attracting younger workers to skilled trades.

03

Industry collaboration with educators and platforms like TradePartnerHQ.com can help bridge the workforce gap.

Currently, skilled trades are facing significant shortages making the need for innovative solutions and passionate involvement more urgent than before. Statistics indicate a looming gap in the workforce, expected to reach millions in the next decade, as older generations retire without sufficient newcomers to fill their roles. At the heart of this issue is not just the necessity for workers, but the need for a new approach to education and recruitment in these essential sectors.

At the heart of this issue is not just the necessity for workers, but the need for a new approach to education and recruitment in these essential sectors.

What can be done to bridge this gap and invigorate interest in the trades among the younger generations?

On the latest episode of "Straight Outta Crumpton," host Greg Crumpton welcomed Lance Furuyama, founder of TradePartnerHQ.com, to discuss the changing landscape of trade education and recruitment. In this engaging episode, they explore how digital tools and community efforts can be harnessed to attract and retain talent in the trades.

Crumpton's and Furuyama's conversation discussed:

  • How digital platforms can transform trade education.
  • The importance of building partnerships within the trade community to enhance recruitment.
  • Furuyama's initiatives for funding and supporting trade education through creative means.

Lance Furuyama has a background in e-waste recycling and data center decommissioning, fields intertwined with various mechanical and electrical trades. His passion is focused on involvement in trade education and leveraging his marketing and fundraising skills to support and promote the trades.

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About the author

Greg Crumpton
Greg CrumptonVice President

Straight Outta Crumpton Greg's personal & professional goals are to serve the people that he am working with and/or for. He carries this mantra in his professional life and his home life. Having 40+ years as a full-service mechanical and mission critical environments contractor with a heavy emphasis on service, maintenance and repair. Greg specialize in mission critical cooling (Heat Rejection) and electrical infrastructures, as well as the comfort cooling surrounding them. As a continual entrepreneur, several markets strike him as interesting. As varied as you could imagine, they range from Coffee with my bud's at www.CommonPlaceCoffee.com, all the way to serving as an adviser for several start-ups in the emerging technology world via www.aGlobalVenture.com & www.AtomPower.com and others. Giving back to his community is of equal importance to him, www.apparo.org and Animal Welfare are just a couple ways of doing just that.

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About the Experts

Greg Crumpton, host of Straight Outta Crumpton
Greg Crumpton

Host, Straight Outta Crumpton

Greg Crumpton is the host of Straight Outta Crumpton, a podcast focused on the skilled trades and facilities management industries. He is a veteran of the building services and HVAC industry with decades of experience in workforce development and trades advocacy. Crumpton regularly interviews industry leaders and educators to explore solutions to the skilled trades workforce gap.

LF
Lance Furuyama

TradePartnerHQ.com

Lance Furuyama is associated with TradePartnerHQ.com, a platform connected to skilled trades education and workforce development initiatives. He appears as a guest on Straight Outta Crumpton discussing strategies to address the skilled trades workforce gap.

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