Name
Finding the Right Fit: Improving Students’ Perceptions of the Skilled Pathways
Date & Time
Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 9:55 AM
Speakers
Mary Culler, Ford Philanthropy
Jaimie Francis (Matthews), U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Jenna Arca, The Home Depot
Kate Emanuel, The Ad Council
Kelsey Donohue, Ford Philanthropy
Jaimie Francis (Matthews), U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Jenna Arca, The Home Depot
Kate Emanuel, The Ad Council
Kelsey Donohue, Ford Philanthropy
Description
At a time when our nation sorely needs to add more skilled-trade professionals to the workforce, new research conducted by Ford and the Ad Council Research Institute found that only 11% of students surveyed plan to pursue a skilled-trades career after high school. The study identified that students and families currently have low understanding of what trade careers exist, how to enter them, what the training process looks like, and what opportunities can follow. Learn about a new public education campaign beginning in 2027 that will encourage students to consider and pursue a career in some sort of skilled trade.