CED

October 2013

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Groundwork Officers Chairman Chris Pera Eastern HighReach Company, Inc. Horsham, Pa. Vice Chairman A. Roy Kern Equipment Corporation of America Coraopolis, Pa. President Bob Henderson The AED Foundation Oak Brook, Ill. John Crum Treasurer Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, Inc. Pittsburgh, Pa. Immediate Past Chairman Walter Berry Berry Companies, Inc. Wichita, Kan. AED Board Representative Whit Perryman Vermeer Equipment of Texas Irving, Texas Executive Director Steve Johnson The AED Foundation Oak Brook Ill. Directors Gary Bridwell Ditch Witch of Oklahoma Edmond, Okla. Mike Festing-Smith NORTRAX, Inc. Tampa, Fla. Mike Hayes Komatsu America Corporation Rolling Meadows, Ill. Timothy Kramer Kramer Ltd. Regina, SK Dr. Wayne Longbrake Former Dean, Penn. College of Technology Williamsport, Pa. Sonja Metzler Ohio CAT Broadview Heights, Ohio Kenneth Silverman Volvo Construction Equipment Shippensburg, PA Mark teel Caterpillar, Inc. Peoria, Ill. Keith Tippett Kirby-Smith Machinery, Inc. Oklahoma City, Okla. Together, the Equipment Industry Can Solve the Skills Gap Investing this year in The Foundation is really investing in yourself. You are probably aware of the growing skills gap in the heavy equipment industry, as evidenced by tens of thousands of unfilled technician jobs. Unfortunately, many school counselors are still pushing universities instead of trade or technical programs. This means that students aren't aware of the diesel/equipment technology college programs that many AED member dealers support. Fewer tech students also means added competition with programs like welding, auto body and auto mechanics. While you might have enough qualified technicians now, how about in six months, a year, or even five years down the road? Do you have the time, effort and capital to train someone from scratch or would you rather hire someone who has already been trained and accredited to meet your specific needs? The AED Foundation is dedicated to developing school and industry partnership programs with input from AED-affiliated dealers, manufacturers, technical colleges and volunteers. We are working hard to solve the technician shortage. Today, 28 post-secondary colleges are affiliated with The AED Foundation through 39 AED Accredited and Education Alliance diesel/ equipment technology college programs. All are OEM or general equipment technology programs offering-four year or two-year associate degrees in Science or Applied Science. More than 500 students are graduating from these programs each year. The process of accreditation ensures high quality candidates that meet AED-member needs. During the average time of one to three years that it takes to accredit schools, AED volunteers and staff work more than 580 hours to ensure standards are implemented properly, consulting with schools on the phone and conducting on-site visits. We are constantly seeking out additional schools to accredit so we can shrink the growing skills gap. However, we can't do it alone. AED Accredited schools needed dealer involvement, which leads to better student enrollment, placement and resources. Please be par t of the solution. As the AED Foundation kicks off the 2014 Annual Campaign, one of the most common questions we have to answer is "Why should I invest in you?" The answer is: you're not really investing in us; you are investing in your business and its future. To invest in your future, call Rebecca Rakers at 630-468-5113 or e-mail rrakers@ aednet.org for a pledge form. Your taxdeductible donation will allow us to continue to serve your needs. All investors are prominently recognized for their generosity through listings in CED magazine and on the Investor Boards at AED Summit. 12 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | October 2013 12_groundwork_KP.indd 12 9/26/13 2:11 PM

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