What: Not every kid in Yorktown needs to go to college. There is a shortage of skilled trade workers nationwide meaning there is a demand for good paying jobs. According to a report by the Associated General Contractors of America 70% of construction contractors are having a hard time finding qualified skilled workers; in the Northeast the report showed that number at 63%. Yorktown can lead from the front and create a local pathway for interested students to pursue apprenticeship and career opportunities as a skilled trades member.
Why: The trades are strong right here in the Hudson Valley and especially Westchester County. Lakeland Central School District has brought interested students to the training facility used by Laborers Local 60 in Brewster. Statistics show a clear demand for the need to invest in creating a pathway to the trades.
How: Proactively establishing positive working relationships with our local school districts, employers and trades to provide unique opportunities would be the first step. Every year there is a Hudson Valley Construction Career Day hosted at Rockland Community College. In 2019 more than 800 students attended. Under the Slater Administration, Yorktown would work to host a similar, and annual event, to provide a unique educational opportunity to an important workforce.
