The Annual Campaign: What’s New in 2020?

While 2020 has caused global changes that none of us could have foreseen, The AED Foundation (AEDF) has made great efforts to continue its mission to provide resources to the equipment industry. This year, the Foundation has innovated many new additions that will help us achieve our Vision 2025 goals and effectively reduce the workforce shortage.  

The Construction Career Aptitude Test is one of the Foundation’s newest resources for high school students. The free test is 50 questions and provides students and instructors information on how students score on industry topics like measurement, basic electrical, mechanical reasoning and more. As of late October 2020, over 180 students have taken the test.  

The AED Foundation’s Stackable Credentials programs are another resource for high school students. These courses can be completed online and help students interested in the heavy equipment industry to earn valuable credentials before graduating from high school. These credentials allow students to stand out from their peers by demonstrating their dedication and knowledge of the industry. Currently, students can participate in stackable credentials programs for safety and electronics, and more are underway!  

In March, The Caterpillar Foundation announced it would provide The AED Foundation with a generous grant of $300,000 to go towards scholarships for high school students planning to attend an AEDF accredited college program. This generous donation helps The AED Foundation combat the workforce shortage by providing more students with a quality, industry-recognized education. The Foundation has recently extended the deadline for scholarship applications through the end of 2020. Know a student interested in attending an accredited program? Encourage them to apply today!  

In September, The AED Foundation launched its Journey of a Certified AEDF Technician video. This video follows the lives of two students who progress from early childhood through college with the help of AEDF’s resources and become Certified AEDF Technicians. The purpose of the video was to show how the Foundation plays an essential role in introducing students to the industry and helping them to gain the knowledge needed to become successful industry technicians. Watch the video here 

Most recently, The AED Foundation is proud to have been named the Standards Recognition Entity (SRE) by the U.S. Department of Labor. This distinction allows the Foundation to recognize apprenticeship programs at AED members’ dealerships. With AEDF as the official SRE for the industry, technicians who aren’t interested in or don’t have access to an AEDF accredited college program can receive a quality education recognized throughout the industry.  

The Foundation plans to continue to expand its opportunities across the industry in 2021 to help tackle the workforce shortage. For any questions regarding The AED Foundation’s annual campaign, please contact associate director of development and workforce, Jena Hencin, at jhencin@aednet.org