SEATTLE -- Weyerhaeuser Company entered into a national partnership with Be Pro Be Proud an initiative led by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Arkansas (ASCC/AIA) to raise awareness among middle and high school students for career paths in the skilled workforce, including opportunities in forestry and the forest products industry.

Through the partnership, Weyerhaeuser will support Be Pro Be Proud's educational outreach and recruiting activities. Those activities include tours, mobile workshops and learning modules designed to give students both virtual and hands-on experiences with careers in skilled trades, as well as annual "Draft Days" that match high school seniors with prospective employers for job interviews.

Weyerhaeuser will also work with Be Pro Be Proud to develop a new learning module for careers in forestry and forest products to be used this year. Be Pro Be Proud is licensed and operating in Arkansas, Georgia, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. In 2024, Be Pro Be Proud expects to engage nearly 140,000 students at 850 tour stops across those six states. More states are expected to be added in the coming years.

The new partnership expands Weyerhaeuser's commitment to rural communities and workforce development, which are fundamental to the company's 3 by 30 Sustainability Ambition focused on supporting its operating communities. Last year, as part of that effort, Weyerhaeuser announced its "Learn Local, Earn Local" program designed to invest in grassroots education and training efforts that create pathways for youth to enter good-paying, skilled jobs in the forest products industry.
 

"Helping develop the next generation of skilled workers is one of the most important ways we can support rural operating communities," said Nancy Thompson, senior director of advocacy and philanthropy for Weyerhaeuser. "We're excited to be partnering with Be Pro Be Proud to raise awareness for the range of careers available in the skilled workforce, including the many interesting and rewarding opportunities in the forest products industry."

Be Pro Be Proud's 2024 Draft Day Series will begin in Arkansas in March, followed by the National Conference, presented by Weyerhaeuser June 25 to 27, 2024, in Greenville, S.C.

"We are thrilled to partner with Weyerhaeuser as one of Be Pro Be Proud's first national partners," says Randy Zook, president of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Be Pro Be Proud, Inc. "This effort has grown from one state in 2016 to six in 2023, spanning much of the country. The growing interest reflects the acute need to attract young talent to America's skilled professions across industry sectors that serve as the backbone of this nation's strength and success. Our mission to change student, parent and educator perceptions of technical careers is strengthened by this partnership, and together we will continue to build tomorrow's workforce."