Crew Classroom Talks focuses on bringing construction and skilled trade professionals directly into middle school and high school classrooms. Using virtual methods, students can interact with professionals across the country who are on job sites.
A typical Classroom Talk is approximately 40-45 minutes, which includes a Crew introduction, five to six presenters, and a Q&A session. Prior to the Talk, the Crew board of directors vets and selects a variety of skilled professionals to speak, in hopes that each student can see themselves represented in one of the presenters. Classroom Talk presenters are required to talk about their career path, a day in the life, pros and cons, and provide a salary range.
“The Classroom Talks program is our bread and butter,” says Hakken. “It gives industry professionals the opportunity to share their passion for their specific job while also showcasing the vast array of career paths that are available to students.”
Classroom Talks also make it possible for young people to gain hands-on experience and have fun while doing it, according to Brentzel.
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“We like to educate kids, but also a big part of it is making it fun,” says Brentzel. “Technology is the future. Who better to get involved than the kids using it right now? On the last school visit we did, we got a bunch of remote-control excavators and dozers, and the carpentry class there built us ramps and made a sandpit. We’re getting them accustomed to the idea that soon running equipment probably won’t be much different than running an RC [radio control] vehicle.”
Crew combines education with hands-on experience in its Ambassador program, also. The initiative helps vetted industry professionals learn speaking skills, personal and professional development tactics, and how to best engage with their local community to spread the word about the industry’s opportunities.
Crew Ambassadors then become mentors for the incoming workforce Crew brings on through initiatives like its Classroom Talks.
“We have completed four sessions of our Ambassador Program, graduating 113 Crew ambassadors so far,” says Rieling. “Since the beginning of this program in March of 2022, seven Ambassador graduates have gone on to serve on our board of directors with others engaged in committees and attending events like Conexpo as representatives of Crew.”
Attracting the Next Generation
To promote its initiatives, Crew employs an array of inventive methods to appeal to the interests of younger generations.
One way Crew brings visibility to its mission is through attending industry events where its board members and ambassadors engage industry leaders and attendees by talking about the ideas driving its initiatives.
Hakken provides a complete list of all the events the organization has participated in. In addition to Conexpo 2023 and the Utility Expo 2023, Crew has attended the American School Counselor Association Expo 2023. It also attended the 2024 International Builders’ Show.
“Going into these trade shows is just another way to get in front of people to let them know we’re available to come and speak to them to try and give them a different approach to their careers,” says Eric “E.J.” Herron, marketing committee chair, and a member of the Under 40 in Construction Equipment Class of 2014. “The goal is not to say college is bad, but we’re speaking to the people who may not know why they’re going to college or what they want to do and putting another option in front of them.”
Bringing visibility to those options is bolstered by the sponsorships Crew has managed to secure for each of its initiatives; FrameWork is sponsored by Case; Classroom Talks by Toro; and the Ambassador program by Caterpillar. The public support from these major players in the industry underscores the imminence of Crew’s mission to educate and the sense of inventiveness it’s entwining to accomplish it.