DENVER, May 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Angi, a leading and comprehensive solution for home services, today announced a new partnership with SkillsUSA and sponsorship of National Signing Day, a nationwide event celebrating high school seniors and college/postsecondary students who have chosen to pursue a career in any of the skilled trades, including home and construction trades. Across the U.S. local SkillsUSA chapters host “signing day” community events honoring local students who sign a letter of intent for a job offer, apprenticeship or advanced technical training.
As part of its partnership, Angi will host a digital event for students on Instagram and Tiktok to celebrate students on May 4th with customized assets, including filters and gifs, and invite students to share their own announcements with the hashtags #SkillsUSANationalSigningDay and #TimeToTradeUp.
“As America’s champion of the skilled trades, we are thrilled to team up with Angi for SkillsUSA National Signing Day," said SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis. “Our efforts to improve the quality of the nation’s future skilled workforce aligns beautifully with Angi's powerful network of skilled trades professionals. Industry partners like Angi are helping SkillsUSA deliver a pipeline of talented graduates who are ready to commit to a rewarding career. Together, we can help close the skills gap while generating greater awareness of the life-changing opportunities career pathways in the skilled trades can provide our students.”
“Every day, men and women across the U.S. set off to do the vitally important work helping people improve, maintain and repair their homes,” said Angie Hicks, Chief Customer Officer, Angi. “We know these jobs do not get the credit and recognition they deserve, despite high earning potential, high satisfaction, high demand and high community impact. We are thrilled to partner with SkillsUSA and sponsor this year’s National Signing Day. Students choosing careers in the trades are making a great decision, and we are happy to celebrate this next generation of skilled professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs.”
Careers in the trades boast some of the highest satisfaction rates. According to Angi’s 2021 Skilled Trades Report, 83% of people in the trades are satisfied with their careers, compared to 34% of all workers in the U.S, citing meaning and value in their work as the primary reason, followed by compensation and flexible work hours. Many who choose trade careers enter the job market with around $26,000 less debt on average. Careers in the trades also empower more workers to become business owners: 50% of tradespeople say they are their own bosses.
Despite these attributes, home and construction trades are facing major labor shortages–the construction industry alone will need to attract more than half a million workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2023 to meet current demand.1 The professional providers on Angi feel this shortage–hiring quality talent is a top concern and nearly 80% of pros think this problem is getting worse.
"The demand for skilled trades is only going to increase in the coming years. It is not something that AI is going to disrupt,” said Matt DiBara, pro on Angi and SkillsUSA alumni. “We all need to live and work somewhere. Both the opportunity and the demand for skilled workers is huge, which offers tremendous job security. There are plenty of employers across the country who are starving for highly motivated, highly skilled workers, just like the SkillsUSA students. We need to help people find careers they love. We need more people pushing wind in our sails and saying 'you can.' SkillsUSA was the breeding ground of 'you can' for me."
To learn more about SkillsUSA and Angi - www.angi.com/tradeup
About Angi
Angi (NASDAQ: ANGI) is your home for everything home—a comprehensive solution for all your home needs. From repairs and renovations to products and financing, Angi is transforming every touch point in the customer journey. With over 25 years of experience and a network of over 200,000 pros, we have helped more than 150 million people with their home needs. Angi is your partner for every part of your home care journey.
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is America’s proud champion of the skilled trades. It’s a student-led partnership of education and industry that’s building the skilled workforce our nation depends on with graduates who are career ready, day one. Representing nearly 380,000 career and technical education students and teachers, SkillsUSA chapters thrive in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. SkillsUSA’s mission empowers students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. That mission is accomplished through the SkillsUSA Framework of Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics, which is integrated into classroom curriculum. Through Framework instruction, students develop the character-shaping leadership skills — teamwork, communication, professionalism and more — that successful careers and lives demand. At the same time, students hone their high-level technical skills against current industry standards in more than 130 skilled trade areas, from 3-D Animation to Welding. The result? Focused, confident and highly skilled graduates who are ready to work, ready to lead and ready to make a difference in our schools, workplaces and communities. A vital solution to the skills gap, where more in-demand skilled trades positions are available than qualified professionals to fill them, SkillsUSA has served over 14 million difference-making members since 1965. For more, visit www.skillsusa.org.
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1 Associated Builders and Contractors. Construction Spending and Employment Forecast. February 9, 2023
Angi Corporate Communications
Mallory Micetich
(303) 963-8352
mediarelations@angi.com
SkillsUSA Public Relations
Jane Short
(703) 314-1229
jshort@skillsusa.org
