The importance of identifying, recruiting and retaining skilled technicians — to service machines and meet the needs of software platform providers — in the agriculture industry was front and center throughout the 2025 Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) Summit held Jan. 15-17 in Orlando, Fla.
The keynote address that kicked off the event featured former Microsoft AI leader Sean Alexander, a Persimmon Group executive advisor. In “Industry 4.0: Navigating Leadership in the Age of AI,” he reinforced the critical importance of equipment dealers, manufacturers and workers of all ages to embrace the realities and roles that emerging technologies are bringing to the industry and the workforce.
In addition to addressing the issue with AED Summit attendees in a Friday morning general session — which reinforced the collaboration between The AED Foundation and the Youth Workforce Development Foundation — one of the final sessions held Friday afternoon, a crowded room of attendees participated in an educational session on “Developing a Sustainable Pipeline of Technicians Through Apprenticeships.”
The Friday sessions featured Eric Hill, CEO of the Youth Workforce Development Foundation, part of Skills USA Illinois, who provided a deep dive tutorial on the organization's efforts and the myriad ways it supports dealer’s needs to fill jobs. In reviewing its process for simplifying apprenticeships, Hill identified the following steps they take in collaboration with businesses:
- Employer Onboarding – the foundation guides employers through onboarding, ensuring compliance with federal, state requirements and setting up programs with the U.S. Department of Labor.
- Seamless Integration with Hiring Practices – Aligning apprenticeship programs with the dealer’s existing hiring practices ensures smooth implementation and minimizes disruption.
- Streamlined Data Management – The Youth Workforce Development Foundation’s platform centralizes administrative tasks, providing real-time tracking and insights into apprenticeship programs.
- Growth and Competency Tracking – YWDF tracks apprentices’ skill development and milestones, delivering detailed reports to support career advancement.
- Funding and Tax Incentive Identification – The organization also identifies state-specific funding opportunities and tax incentives, assisting with grant applications to reduce employer costs.
- Ongoing Support and Optimization – The team offers continuous program evaluation, optimization, and dedicated support to address challenges and ensure program success.
To offer an example of ways the foundation reaches into communities and collaborates with local school-based initiatives, the session also included an overview from Terry Stroh, regional director of Education for Employment with North Kane County Region 110 in Burlington, Ill. He offered a summary of the efforts he and his staff make to support ag industry staffing needs.
“We do a lot of relationship building with our dealers and also with students,” said Stroh.
When asked how AED and its members will help fill the fast-emerging of how to help tech companies meet their staffing needs across the agtech space, Stroh offered a range of updates and reinforced that they are working toward expanded solutions to address those needs, acknowledging there are a good number of companies currently out there looking for workforce development and recruitment support.
“I just had a call the other day with an organization that works with Microsoft. Right now, there are three data centers that will be built within 30 miles of his school which will need to hire, train and retain employees,” added Stroh. He expanded on ways the team focuses on “education that works” and offered insight into the process of developing connections.
“We are focused on asking how we will meet those needs, and, to be honest, now that we are adding new electronics into these (ag equipment machine) systems, we have to find those kids who are eager and interested,” added Stroh. He noted Skills USA’s important work as well as a program called Project Lead the Way, an engineering program many high schools across the country run and we will need to find ways to tap into those classes.
“When we walk into companies, I always walk in with the mind set of trying to learn what that company does. I don’t necessarily ask them for anything. I ask what the company does, what makes it special, and then ask them to tell me more about the company,” Stroh offered. He explained to the large audience in attendance that as he walks around he starts to hear from management what their challenges are in finding students to fill positions who are not familiar with working with certain machines. Stroh goes further to ask if they have sales or IT departments, then learns more which he can take back into the classrooms in his region and focuses on finding those kids to fit those positions.
“If we wait until they are out of high school, then we’re likely going to lose a good portion of them for a long period of time,” according to Stroh who said recruiters and workforce development programs are working to develop interests and discuss opportunities for potential employment in the ag and agtech industry as early as middle school.
“I always urge dealers to allow your techs and recruitment coordinators to go out into middle schools and high schools to talk about your company, but don’t just wait until they’re juniors and seniors to discuss the internship or apprentice programs … go find the freshman and young kids with interests that are aligned with these opportunities early,” said Stroh.
He and Hill reinforced the importance of these programs, the benefits they offer dealers and tech businesses, and the value of tapping into organizations like Skills USA. First and foremost, they and the audience agreed, establishing relationships and building connections between schools, students and different industry players, from equipment dealers and manufacturers to organizations is key to growing the next generation of skilled technicians and IT/AI tech experts.
Also participating in the session was Christopher Anderson, chief operating officer (COO) of the Youth Workforce Development Foundation and SkillsUSA Illinois. He offered this summary of the vital work on which the organization and AED are collaborating.
“Our partnership with The AED Foundation has been instrumental in securing nearly $8 million in federal funding through the Apprenticeships Build America program,” said Anderson. “This collaboration enables us to expand youth-focused apprenticeships in heavy equipment maintenance and operations, addressing the projected shortage of 24,000 to 42,000 diesel technicians and heavy equipment operators within the next decade. Together, we're creating pathways for students to gain hands-on experience and connect with industry professionals, ensuring a skilled workforce for the future.”
Resources:
Youth Workforce Development Foundation/Skills USA
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