The next time you renew your membership in ABC, you will see an added contribution on your invoice for the Trimmer Construction Education Foundation (TCEF). Trimmer is ABC’s partner to help expand our skilled workforce and the affiliated 501(c)3 nonprofit organization is a critical part of ABC’s commitment to expand merit shop training programs and promote construction careers.

The added contribution was approved this past March by the ABC National Board of Directors. Board members recognized the financial need to support merit shop efforts to address the worker shortage and approved a policy to include a $100 contribution on all member renewal invoices to help fund TCEF.    

Among other initiatives, TCEF provides grants to ABC chapters to expand the capacity of their training programs. And these funds are making a real difference in communities where training capacity was inadequate to meet the need for additional construction workers.

Thanks to generous contributions from ABC member companies and a grant from TCEF, the Keystone Chapter recently expanded and renovated the Keystone Center for Construction Careers with new classrooms, offices, a computer lab and a multimedia room. The chapter is getting the message out that this is a great place to build a career, and apprenticeship enrollments have increased 15 percent during the past year.

ABC’s New Orleans/Bayou chapter doubled its enrolment capacity to help meet the urgent need for more skilled workers in the region this year after multiple semesters of turning away individual for training in crafts. Two new buildings were completed in March including a welding facility and seven classrooms/labs, thanks to a grant from TCEF, a loan and private contributions.

TCEF has also made grants to help ABC’s Central Ohio and Heart of America chapters expand the capacity of their training programs recently.

Today's construction industry is limited only by the shortage of qualified workers. By supporting the Trimmer Construction Education Foundation you are funding bold and innovative initiatives and projects that will attract outstanding young men and women to the industry, training them to be skilled professionals, and providing them with career paths in merit shop construction.

TCEF needs your contribution, and encourages you to include the $100—or more—with your membership dues. You can also visit trimmerfoundation.org to make a tax-deductible individual charitable donation.

Thanks to all the ABC members who have generously donated to the foundation over the years!

For more information, contact Kirsten Krauer at (202) 595-1864 or [email protected].