JLG addresses labour shortage head-on by investing in skilled trades training

JLG Industries, Inc. is addressing skilled labour shortages and workforce development by taking an intentional, people-first approach to rebuilding the industrial talent pipeline in America. As many manufacturers are feeling the strain of a shrinking skilled labour force, JLG's story is unfolding differently — one rooted in classrooms, welding and paint booths, factory floors, and trade schools. JLG is not waiting for workforce solutions to arrive; it is creating them.  

Through partnerships with high schools, technical colleges, trade associations, and industry organizations, the company is helping students discover careers in the trades while giving current workers opportunities to advance their craft. The result is a growing community of homegrown welders, painters, assemblers, manufacturing and robotics engineers, maintenance professionals, service technicians, and equipment operators ready to power the future of construction and manufacturing.

"In America today, there are more students who want hands-on technical education than there are classroom seats available," said Andy Tacelosky, chief operating officer at JLG. "We saw an opportunity, not just to hire talent but to help create it one student, one trainee, and one craft professional at a time. These programs give people a pathway to build a career, earn a living, and stay in the communities they love."

School-to-Work: Cultivating new craft professionals in Pennsylvania

JLG's School-to-Work (S2W) program allows high school juniors and seniors local to its manufacturing facilities in McConnellsburg, Shippensburg, Bedford, Greencastle, and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, to earn school credit while working paid roles in welding, assembly, painting, fabrication, warehouse support and more. Students receive real-world experience, mentorship and the chance to transition into full-time roles after graduation. S2W+ — an advanced extension of the program — places students in specialized roles like maintenance, robotics, machining, engineering, and testing for deeper technical exposure.

"Our School-to-Work program gives young people a real opportunity to help us rebuild the future of the skilled trades," says Tacelosky. "These are students who want to work with their hands and solve real problems, but the classroom alone can't always give them that experience. Through S2W and S2W+, they earn school credit, a paycheck, and the chance to work alongside experienced professionals. We're creating more skilled workers in the Pennsylvanian communities where our team members live and work, as well as shaping the next generation of craft professionals and manufacturing leaders."

TCAT Partnership: Developing technical talent in Tennessee

Starting in 2025, JLG established a partnership with the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT), which is in close proximity to the company's manufacturing facility in Jefferson City, Tennessee, to integrate technical education with real-world factory experience. After campus visits, interviews and plant tours, several students are now working part-time on JLG's maintenance team while attending school. These students rotate between first and second shift to learn from specialists across multiple disciplines

"This is what modern technical education should look like," said Tacelosky. "Students are learning in class and applying it in real-world situations the same day."

Upskilling the Trades: Investing in team members

While JLG is deeply committed to developing future talent through schools, the company is equally focused on investing in those already working in the trades. Through its internal trainee programs, JLG is helping current team members and new hires advance into high-demand skilled positions — particularly in areas like welding and industrial painting, where manufacturers across the country struggle to hire experienced workers.

JLG's Weld Trainee Program provides entry-level team members and external candidates with the opportunity to become certified welders. Participants complete three to four weeks of classroom and lab-based instruction, followed by three weeks of on-the-job training alongside experienced JLG welders. Similarly, the Paint Trainee Program is designed to develop industrial painters from within the workforce. Through hands-on training and mentorship, participants gain the skills needed to move into full-time painter roles. 

"Welding and painting require skill, safety, precision and pride in craft, and these are often some of the most difficult roles in manufacturing to fill," says Tacelosky. "Instead of waiting for talent to come to us, we're choosing to grow it — building careers and strengthening our workforce for the future."

Beyond JLG: Partnering to build the industry

JLG's workforce commitment goes beyond its own facilities. The company partners with trade associations, unions, training schools, and equipment rental providers to upskill craft professionals across North America in operating and servicing MEWPs (mobile elevating work platforms) and telehandlers. These partnerships include organizations such as: Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), Association of General Contractors (AGC), Association of the Wall & Ceiling Industry (AWCI), Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA), Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA), regional apprenticeships, trade unions, community colleges, and correctional/vocational programs.

"We know we can't solve the skilled labour shortage on our own. That's why we're partnering with trade associations, unions, technical schools, and industry groups to help upskill these professionals to bring real-world equipment, certified training and industry standards directly to the people who need it most," says Tacelosky. "Working alongside these organizations, we're not just training people; we're helping them build lasting careers. It's good for workers, it's good for employers, and it's good for the future of the trades."

Through JLG University, the company delivers hands-on operator training, telehandler service instruction, and ANSI/OSHA-compliant safety education to thousands of workers each year — helping contractors and employers employ safe, capable crews.

Creating the future, together

These investments are not short-term initiatives; they are part of a long-term vision for American manufacturing. "We're not just preparing people for jobs," said Tacelosky. "We're helping them build meaningful careers. And in doing so, we're helping strengthen the trades, the industry and the communities we're proud to call home."