Skilled Workforce: Channellock lends a helping hand to Crawford Tech students

The future of the region's skilled workforce is largely dependent on promoting opportunities and training the next generation of skilled workers.

One place that is happening is at Crawford Tech in Meadville, where students get a helping hand from a nationally recognized local company.

Channenelock — it's a brand recognized around the world and headquartered in Meadville.

They have been producing quality hand tools since 1886.

Now, vocational students at Crawford Tech are being given Channellock tools to use and to keep.

"Any student that requires a tool that we supply or make, we donate it to them. So the freshman class or inbound students in the different programs — whether it's automotive, metal fab, machine shops, and all those different STEM classes they have — we donate the tools that we can for them to save the cost of buying all those tools themselves," said Ryan Dearment, Channellock's vice president.

This is not only an incredible opportunity for students but a financial relief for many parents.

"We have so many parents call in and say, 'Hey, I can't afford this or that, anymore.' I say, 'Hey don't worry about it. Channellock is donating all that stuff, you don't need it anymore,'" said Brad Custead, Crawford Tech welding instructor

There's pride in ownership of quality professional Channellock tools. These students are in the welding program.

"The Channellock tools help us a lot in doing all our jobs out there in the welding shop," said Morgan Shoop, Crawford Tech welding student.

"The people at Channellock come and they get to talk to us, they come and represent themselves here," said Zach Zubik, Cawford Tech welding student. "We greatly appreciate what Channellock does for our school."

Channellock donates these tools to the students here at Crawford Tech not only to build brand loyalty but also to promote the future of a skilled workforce in northwest Pennsylvania.

"For every 10 plumbers retiring out of the trade today, only one plumber is entering, so we have a huge gap in our country in professional labor in our country, whether its plumbers, contractor electricians or automotive technicians," said Dearment. "The trade school trade-up was an economical way for Channellock to promote the good things schools are doing for the communities."

This school year, Channellock has provided students with over 1,800 hand tools — tools to help build the next generation of skilled workers and the communities where they live and work.