Be Pro Be Proud

10/13/2026

Skilled professions continue to gain ground. 💪

Despite economic uncertainty and global challenges, Q3 2026 brought continued growth across the skilled professions.

- Trade wages continued to outpace inflation, with notable gains for HVAC technicians and electricians.
- Workers are showing less willingness to relocate for new opportunities than at any point in more than two years.
- Florida, Texas, and Ohio continued to lead the nation in skilled trade job creation.

The latest data points to a clear trend: demand for skilled professionals remains strong with opportunities continuing to grow across the country.

While this report uses the term “trades,” at Be Pro Be Proud, we intentionally use “technical professions” to reflect the skill, expertise and career opportunities across these high-demand, high-wage fields.

10/06/2026

What if students could explore skilled professions before deciding what comes next? 💭

The Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop gives students an interactive look at careers in skilled professions, helping them understand the opportunities and pathways available beyond traditional four-year college routes.

For parents, it’s an opportunity to help students discover options for their future and make informed decisions about what comes next.

09/24/2026

Ohio Tech Day continued today in Columbus!

At Franklin University, students from Columbus City Schools stepped aboard the Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop and experienced COSI HIVE, exploring the technology and technical professions helping shape Ohio’s future.

Together with OhioX, presenting sponsor Meta, COSI - Center of Science and Industry, Franklin University and Columbus City Schools, we connected students with immersive experiences and a closer look at the education, training and career pathways available right here in Ohio.

Columbus also marks another stop on our 10th Anniversary Mobile Workshop Tour with Meta as we continue bringing technical career exploration to young people across the country.

What a way to celebrate Ohio Tech Day and 10 years of helping students see what’s possible. ❤️

09/24/2026

The Mobile Workshop made its next stop in Jeffersonville, Indiana!

Today, we joined One Southern Indiana and Maker13 to give participants the opportunity to step aboard the Mobile Workshop and explore the technical professions supporting Southern Indiana’s growing workforce.

From experiencing the simulators to learning more about the career pathways available in the region, today was about making those opportunities real and showing what a future in these professions can look like.

Jeffersonville is part of our 10-stop anniversary tour with Meta, celebrating 10 years of Be Pro Be Proud by doing what started it all: helping more people discover what’s possible.

Thank you to Meta, One Southern Indiana and Maker13 for helping us make today possible.

09/22/2026

OhioX and Meta brought the Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop to Bowling Green State University to celebrate Ohio Tech Day, giving students the chance to explore technical professions, hear from young technicians and get a closer look at the career pathways supporting Ohio’s growing workforce.

As part of our 10th Anniversary Mobile Workshop Tour with Meta, this stop brought education, industry and technology together around the opportunities available to young people.

Thank you to Bowling Green State University, OhioX and Meta for helping make the experience possible and for investing in the next generation of technical professionals.

09/21/2026

Ten years ago, the first Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop began introducing students to a different way of thinking about their futures.

A lot has changed since then.

Today, Be Pro Be Proud is a National Network reaching students across the country, and this fall, we’re celebrating 10 years by taking the Mobile Workshop even farther.

With support from Meta, we’re kicking off a 10-stop anniversary tour across nine states, beginning in Texas and continuing through Alabama, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

Ten years of opening students’ eyes to what’s possible. And plenty more ahead.

09/17/2026

09/17/2026

Be Pro Be Proud Texas is officially here!

Today, we celebrated the partners and supporters who came together to bring Be Pro Be Proud to Texas and the work that begins from here.

Through the Mobile Workshop, students across the state will have the opportunity to explore high-demand, high-wage technical professions, experience what these careers can look like and learn more about the pathways available to pursue them.

We’re proud to welcome Texas to the Be Pro Be Proud National Network and ready to get to work.

And there was even more to celebrate today: Texas will serve as the starting point for our 10-stop anniversary tour with Meta.

We’re ready, Texas.

09/14/2026

Arkansas launched Be Pro Be Proud, a mobile workshop rolled into an 18-wheeler that brings welding, machining, and other skilled-trade simulators straight to high school parking lots.

Created by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas, it was so successful that other states have adopted the model. 🇺🇸

09/14/2026

A big congratulations to our fearless leader for being nominated to Achievers in Their Forties. 👏

“The thing I love most is hearing from students, educators and parents that the message resonated, the experience had an impact, and aspiration was created,” Parker said. “We hear stories about the student who was at risk of dropping out who comes to school the next day for practically the first time because we created that motivation.”

And that's why we do what we do.

It is hard to talk about workforce development in Arkansas without talking about Andrew Parker. As the State Chamber of Commerce’s