In January of 2025, we engaged skilled trades teachers from The Toolkit readership in a survey to better understand recent developments in their programs. The survey asked for input on their programs’ enrollment numbers and funding amounts, along with what they teach and where. We received more than 700 responses, which reflected a few trends … Continued
Thursday, January 18, 2024, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Executive Director Danny Corwin testified at a congressional hearing hosted by the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, a subcommittee within the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The hearing was titled “Preparing Students for Success in the Skills-Based Economy.” Danny gave an opening … Continued
Strengthening the skilled trades teacher pipeline is essential to meeting the growing demand for high-quality skilled trades education. Below are a few examples of how some educators and communities are addressing the teacher pipeline challenge. Success Stories from Winners of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence® West Hills, California: Transition Planning … Continued
On Dec 14, 2023, Fortune and Capital & Main each posted a piece written by Rick Wartzman, our longtime partner with the Harbor Freight Leadership Lab® and the co-president of Bendable Labs. The story, titled “College for All Had Failed American. Can It be Fixed?” is a comprehensive review of the forces that pushed the U.S. … Continued
In the past year, there has been strong momentum building around efforts to provide new hands-on opportunities for public high school students to learn about the skilled trades. With the United States facing a daunting shortage of skilled trades workers, it seems there is growing interest in rapidly expanding our ability to train the next … Continued
The pandemic has undoubtedly impacted student learning across the country. Emerging research shows the perspective that parents and students have has shifted. A recent national polling report conducted by EdChoice notably found: Twice as many teens are planning to attend an in-state technical school since the pandemic started. It was the largest positive shift in … Continued
At Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, we are committed to catalyzing greater support and investment in excellent skilled trades education in U.S. public high schools. Over the course of the past year, there has been more attention than ever focused on the skilled trades, specifically on how we will build a talented workforce capable of … Continued
In the first half of 2021, local, state and national media have placed a spotlight on the need for increased skilled trades education in high schools. Coupled with the national push on infrastructure investment, there is momentum in the effort to close the skilled trades employment gap. Labor market data show a clear and steady … Continued
Two first-of-their-kind studies find broad, bipartisan support for high school trades education despite perceived stigma CALABASAS, Calif.—Americans across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support skilled trades education in high school, but school systems face major barriers in providing the courses that give students a path toward these essential, high demand careers, according to new research from … Continued