National Signing Day for Students Committing to Skilled Trade Professions will be Hosted by Wolverine and Coach Jim Harbaugh
In an effort to inspire more young people to choose jobs in skilled crafts, Wolverine is holding its own signing day.
The 140-year-old boot and apparel company, in continuing partnership with SkillsUSA, is set to host its own National Signing Day on May 4th, where Jim Harbaugh, the head football coach of the University of Michigan Wolverines, will address students and encourage them to have the same work ethic he is known to instill in his players.
At the Bay-Arenac ISD Career Center in Bay City, Michigan, Harbaugh will be there along with five football players from the University of Michigan for the annual Signing Day celebration.
In a statement, Coach Harbaugh said he is “proud” to be associated with this “impactful” event sponsored by the Wolverine brand, which aims to honor these young people in the same manner that student athletes are honored for committing to a four-year institution. “Skilled trades are an essential industry that keeps our nation running, so it’s important to recognize and support those who are pursuing careers in them,” Harbaugh stated. “SkillsUSA Signing Day is the best off-field venue for my players and I to unite around our blue-collar work ethic.”
Our similar values of perseverance, hard effort, and devotion led to the formation of our alliance with Wolverine and the Michigan Wolverines, said Wolverine Vice President of Marketing Scott Schoessel. “Coach Harbaugh’s participation at SkillsUSA Signing Day will strengthen our relationship because his presence will undoubtedly encourage and give students across the country confidence as they pursue careers in the skilled trades.”
Schoessel claims that the purpose of the event is to assist thousands of high school students throughout the country as they sign their letters of intent to pursue trade programs in home wiring, building trades and restorations, HVAC or plumbing, and other fields. Over a thousand students from thirty-three states took part in Signing Day in 2022.
In an interview with FN, Schoessel stated that “skilled trades are really struggling in this country in terms of the number of people making the decision to go into this workforce.” Naturally, a lot of us were raised with the belief that attending a regular four-year college is the only path to success. And as a result, with over 6.5 million skilled trade positions vacant, the environment will continue to evolve very drastically over the next ten years.
The purpose of the event, according to Schoessel, is to motivate young people and pique their interest in what they’re doing with this commitment. He stated, “These students are, in a sense, walking the less-traveled path.” Merely 9% of children are pursuing skilled exchanges at this phase of the match. Therefore, there is still more effort to be done to increase understanding and involvement in that decision-making process. However, this day is a wonderful chance to honor those children.
And Wolverine isn’t done yet. On this day, Wolverine, an official sponsor of SkillsUSA National Signing Day, will make a $75,000 donation to the SkillsUSA Hope Fund. By providing financial assistance, this donation will enable SkillsUSA Signing Day students to attend the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference.
This is Wolverine’s most recent endeavor to support skilled trades. August saw the debut of Wolverine’s second partnership with the Ram Truck brand, showcasing an array of boots, apparel, and accessories created in the United States. In honor of Labor Day, Wolverine also gave $75,000 to the SkillsUSA Hope Fund in addition to this collection.
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National Signing Day: Michigan Football’s 2023 Recruiting Class Putting Pen To Pape
In the realm of football recruitment, December has become as THE signing period.
Although Michigan’s 2023 recruiting class is presently ranked No. 20 in the country, depending on the site you use, it’s not awful, and it doesn’t exactly correspond with the team’s recent on-field success. Even still, today is anticipated to see more than 20 young men become official Wolverines. This is the present state of affairs.
