CertainTeed Shows Dedication To #KeepCraftAlive Movement By Donating $20,000 To SkillsUSA Students

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Aug 02, 2018, 14:35 ET

MALVERN, Pa., Aug. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CertainTeed, a leading North American manufacturer of building materials, has continued its partnership with Fine Homebuilding to #KeepCraftAlive, by donating $20,000 to SkillsUSA. This year, Fine Homebuilding raised $70,000 to fund scholarships for SkillsUSA students in construction-related fields for the 2018-2019 academic year, an increase from the $25,000 awarded last year. This dramatic increase from last year's efforts is due in part to the positive impact of industry leaders and strong focus on closing the "skills gap," considering that the housing industry continues to grow yet there is still a shortage of trained, qualified labor.

Each year, an estimated 100,000 SkillsUSA students complete technical programs that enable them to be job-ready on "day one." As a sponsor, CertainTeed was able to directly impact scholarship recipients by encouraging them to continue pursuing training and furthering their education in the construction trades. The scholarship program recognizes active members and alumni who have a passion for the craft and are planning to attend schools, community colleges, or undergraduate programs and to pursue industry certifications within the construction trades. The scholarship will be applied to the 2018-19 academic year for 28 recipients.

"As a leader in the industry, we continue to focus our efforts on building the pipeline of tradesmen and women by supporting them in various ways," stated Mara L. Villanueva-Heras, vice president of corporate marketing, CertainTeed. "Whether it's through career guidance or financial assistance, it is our goal to make sure students are aware of the opportunities and to give them the tools for a successful career path."

Each recipient of $2,500 in scholarship funds was selected based on a series of criteria, which included an application, a 300-word essay and a letter of support from a teacher, administrator, SkillsUSA advisor or educational/professional mentor. The following winners were acknowledged at a special reception on June 28, 2018 at the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Ky:

Brandon Copenhaver (Drywall)
Alexandra DeGroot (Architectural Drafting)
Patrick Duckett (Cabinetmaking)
Darian Edsitty (Plumbing)
Megan Enouen (Architecture)
Caleb Erickson (Carpentry)
Shawn Evelyn (Woodworking)
Cody Flood (Carpentry)
Joshua Fox (Electrical)
Cameron Galloway (Building Construction)
Grant Hansen (Carpentry/Construction)
Hayden Hart (Carpentry)
Alexis Hribar (Wood Manufacturing)
Trey Johnson (Plumbing/HVACR)
Michael Knoechel (Construction Technology)
Anthony Koller (Electrical)
Jose Lopez (Construction Management)
Joseph Lou (Architectural Drafting)
Jacqueline Medina (Masonry)
Sean Morey (Drafting)
Michelle Perez (Masonry)
Aaron Porro-Harrell (Electrical)
Chris Powell (Electrical and Residential Wiring)
Christopher Schwaller (Drafting/Engineering)
Madison Thum (Architecture & Construction Management)
Andrew VanderWal (Electrical)
Natalie Walker (Architectural Drafting)
Timothy Watkins (Cabinetmaking/Construction)

"Having CertainTeed and Fine Homebuilding's continued support makes a great difference as we focus on the next generation," said Tim Lawrence, executive director, SkillsUSA. "We are excited that they continue to lead the efforts and partnered with SkillsUSA to honor these extremely deserving men and women."

"Fine Homebuilding is dedicated to supporting those who have a passion and are on track to excelling in the trades," said Renne Jordan, Publisher, Fine Homebuilding. "Partnering with an industry leader such as CertainTeed to benefit the youth tradesmen and women has made a lasting impact on the #KeepCraftAlive mission to fill the skills gap."

For more information about CertainTeed and its mission to #KeepCraftAlive, visit www.certainteed.com/keepcraftalive. For more information about SkillsUSA, visit www.skillsusa.org. For more information on the #KeepCraftAlive initiative, visit www.keepcraftalive.org.

About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a vital solution to the growing U.S. skills gap. This nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry works to ensure America has the skilled workforce it needs to stay competitive. Founded in 1965 and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, the association serves more than 360,000 member students and instructors each year in middle schools, high schools and colleges. This diverse talent pipeline covers 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, the majority STEM-related. More than 600 corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA at the national level. SkillsUSA programs are integrated into career and technical education through a framework of personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. Local, state and national championships, designed and judged by industry, set relevant standards for career and technical education and provide needed recognition to its students. SkillsUSA also offers technical skill assessments and other workplace credentials. For more information, go to www.SkillsUSA.org.

About Fine Homebuilding
Fine Homebuilding is the most trusted and authoritative resource for the residential construction and remodeling industry and has launched the #KeepCraftAlive campaign to help close the skills gap. Fine Homebuilding sources its content from the job sites and design offices of the most qualified and talented builders and designers in the industry to empower a global workforce with the ability to create the most advanced homes possible. Driven by the ethos that exceptional homes are possible and that craftsmanship is an honorable and worthy pursuit, Fine Homebuilding has become the preferred media brand for professionals, deeply knowledgeable enthusiasts, industry influencers, and forward-thinking companies, that are collectively committed to shaping the way we build.

With the #KeepCraftAlive campaign, Fine Homebuilding is leveraging all of its resources to bring awareness to the skills gap cause, partnering with industry organizations and influencers to build awareness of the skills training and educational opportunities that exist in this country, and funding student scholarships with SkillsUSA to support those who want to pursue a path in the trades. Fine Homebuilding is committed to celebrating the value of true craftsmanship in all trades in order to influence the cultural narrative about what it means to be a respected, successful professional. For more information about Fine Homebuilding (finehomebuilding.com) and the #KeepCraftAlive initiative, go to keepcraftalive.org.

About CertainTeed
Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products, CertainTeed, headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, has helped shape the building products industry for more than 110 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm's slogan, "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed is a leading North American brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, fence, decking, railing, trim, insulation, drywall, and ceilings. A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the world's largest and oldest building products companies, CertainTeed has more than 6,300 employees and more than 60 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The company had total sales of approximately $3.7 billion in 2017. www.certainteed.com.

SOURCE CertainTeed