Timeline
Be Pro Be Proud launches in New Mexico
The Be Pro Be Proud initiative launched in New Mexico, making it the sixth state in the National Network.
Be Pro Be Proud launches in Tennessee
Be Pro Be Proud launched in Tennessee in mid-October 2023. Community and business leaders gathered together at Volunteer State Community College to officially kick off the program. STEM supervisor for Sumner County Schools was quoted in an article on WKRN saying, “With Be Pro Be Proud Tennessee, we aim to change the perception of these valuable career opportunities and give our students a chance to explore diverse professions, such as electricians, welders, commercial truck drivers, linemen, heavy equipment operators, CNC machinists, forestry workers, and more.”
2023 National Conference
From June 27-29, the Be Pro Be Proud National Network gathered in Greenville, South Carolina for a National Conference focused on an internal deep-dive into the weeds of Be Pro Be Proud endeavors across the country. From our first licensee, Georgia, to our newest National Network Members, New Mexico and Texas, this year’s National Conference was a forum for gathering information, identifying problems, and finding solutions. With 35 attendees and ten sessions ranging from Communications to National Partnerships, the Mobile Workshop Experience to Grant Pursuits, the conference looked at each and every aspect of Be Pro Be Proud with the goal of perfecting our process, increasing our reach, and creating even greater tangible results as we enter the 2023-2024 school year. Be Pro Be Proud, Inc. also presented the first draft of our National Strategic Plan and will be presenting that document to the National Board of Directors in September of 2023.
BE PRO BE PROUD NATIONAL CONFERENCE MEETS IN BENTONVILLE
The Be Pro Be Proud National Conference convened key workforce leaders from Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee among other states, to join industry leaders and legislators to address the growing need of skilled talent in each state’s workforce. The Be Pro Be Proud National Conference featured panel discussions and breakout sessions facilitating collaboration amongst attendees to address the perceptions of technical professions and the skills gap impacting key industries in each state.
Draft Day 2022 Strategically Pairs Qualified Students with Employers
Draft Day 2022 strategically paired graduating seniors currently enrolled in CTE courses in northeast Arkansas with employers ready to hire them upon graduation. Be Pro Be Proud Draft Day was held from 8:30 AM until 5:00 PM, at Jonesboro High School. Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, more than 30 participating companies, and more than 200 high school seniors participated. “The seniors are doing interviews, they’re finding out what their career path will be like with different companies,” Hutchinson said. “The companies need good, skilled workers and it gives them opportunities to recruit some of the top talent coming out of our career centers and high schools.”
North Carolina Licenses Be Pro Be Proud
On Tuesday, Feb. 22, officials from the N.C. Department of Labor (NCDOL) and the N.C. Home Builders Educational and Charitable Foundation (Foundation) gathered for a contract signing event to officially mark the establishment of the Be Pro Be Proud pilot program. The program will be administered by the Foundation with oversight from NCDOL.
SOUTH CAROLINA ADDRESSING SKILLS GAP
As the 3rd state to welcome the Be Pro Be Proud movement, South Carolina students will begin learning about skilled trades career opportunities this school year.
GEORGIA ADDRESSING SKILLS GAP
The Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED) announced the launch of Be Pro Be Proud Georgia – an initiative to bring a new generation of pride, progress, and professionals to Cherokee, metro Atlanta, and Georgia’s skilled workforce.
Be Pro Be Proud Initiative Launches Second Mobile Workshop
This morning (Sept. 5) at the Arkansas Statehouse Convention Center, the Arkansas Be Pro Be Proud Initiative unveiled its second mobile workshop. Set inside of a 78-foot double-wide tractor trailer, the Be Pro Be Proud organization hopes to use the new mobile workshop as a proving ground for high schoolers who have an aptitude for work in the trades. Among the speakers at the event were Governor Asa Hutchinson, Senator John Boozman and Scott Moore, the chief administrative officer of Union Pacific, one of the largest contributors to the Initiative.
Arkansas State Chamber Of Commerce Announces 'Be Pro Be Proud' Workforce Initiative
Little Rock, AR – The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Arkansas (ASCC/AIA) recently announced the launch of a new initiative, “Be Pro Be Proud,” to bring a new generation of pride, progress and professionals to Arkansas’s skilled workforce. Today’s skilled professional workforce is aging out and the next generation of new talent is not sufficient to fill the demand. Nationwide, there are an estimated 5.6 million job openings, with approximately 60,000 of these openings here in Arkansas. The majority of these are in high skilled technical fields. The initiative targets many key audiences including high school and nontraditional students, current skilled professionals, legislators, parents, teachers, career coaches and employers to dispel the myths about skilled trade professions, showcase current skilled professionals’ true vocational pride, highlight the many career opportunities available within these trades and provide necessary resources and training to those interested.