Skilled trades are the bedrock of our economy. They care for the critical infrastructure on which we all depend and include a diverse range of jobs such as transportation and health care, as well as plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and more. But the number of these professionals – people with specialized skills obtained through education or training – has been declining for years. By 2022, the number of skilled trades jobs is projected to exceed the number of adequately trained workers by 3.4 million. To address the growing challenges this presents, Invitation Homes has launched the Step Up Stand Out program in partnership with SkillsUSA to highlight the critical need of these roles and bolster the pipeline of qualified individuals ready to start their careers in skilled trades.
Through Step Up Stand Out, Invitation Homes will help invest in the American workforce, provide the basis to fuel economic growth, contribute to the stability of infrastructure, and provide opportunities for young people entering an uncertain economic environment. Our efforts will focus on engaging with community partners, starting with programs at schools in Tampa and Charlotte this fall, with plans to expand support across all 16 of our markets by the 2023-24 academic year. Step Up Stand Out will give participants pride in their chosen field, help kick-start their careers, and set them on the path to financial independence, security, and stability.
A crucial part of our efforts will utilize SkillsUSA’s expertise in education, training, and leadership. SkillsUSA firmly believes in advocating for the value of skilled trades and changing perceptions at a cultural level and has been doing so for more than 50 years. Together, we’ll utilize an existing network of partnerships with educational institutions to provide high-quality training and access to career opportunities. This partnership also will enable Invitation Homes to develop deep relationships at the local level, while scaling rapidly due to SkillsUSA’s national presence with more than 350,000 members in roughly 19,000 classrooms across more than 4,500 schools. Additionally, our combined efforts will help increase skilled trades training opportunities in minority communities – SkillsUSA draws students from all backgrounds, with half of students coming from communities of color.
Invitation Homes will initially work with SkillsUSA in Tampa and Charlotte to offer and encourage students to obtain the SkillsUSA Career Essentials Credential at their respective age level. Successful completion of these requirements indicates proficiency in the understanding and application of the career readiness competencies and demonstrates transferable skills and the ability to successfully contribute to a place of work.[1] Beyond educating students on the benefit and value of a job in skilled trades, Career Essentials will ensure that individuals entering the workforce have the necessary tools to positively contribute to teams and projects in addition to the technical skills to get the job done.
Advancing education on the importance of these careers will help strengthen the future workforce by destigmatizing promising and worthwhile job opportunities. These careers are essential to our economy and livelihood, provide above-average pay, and are in high demand. Plumbers and electricians, for example, make roughly $61,000 a year, on average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . Both are higher than the average annual income of all U.S. workers. And some of these skilled workers can earn far more in high-demand markets.
Invitation Homes depends on an army of skilled workers day in and day out to manage and maintain our more than 80,000 homes across the country. We only see an increase in the need for the skills necessary to do these jobs, and we’re proud to be taking steps to train the next generation of skilled trades workers.
[1] Credential. SkillsUSA Career Essentials. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2021, from https://www.careeressentials.org/credential/.