One-day Lift & Move USA conference in Houston on February 10, 2016, promoted careers in the crane, rigging and specialized transport industries in an effort to help employers find the next generation of operators, engineers, riggers, mechanics, and sales staff.
Updated February 11, 2016—The second Lift & Move USA careers event moved to Houston, Texas, on February 10, 2016, following the success of the inaugural event in Chicago in June 2015. The conference was an industry initiative to promote job opportunities in the crane, rigging, and specialized transport industries and is targeted at high school students, college students, and military veterans.
Lift & Move USA is jointly organized by the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA), the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO), and industry publisher KHL Group, owners of American Cranes & Transport magazine.
“NCCCO is pleased to co-organize this event to help make potential entrants to the industry aware of the availability of certification and of the role of certification in elevating the professional status of occupations that the industry can offer,” said NCCCO’s Director of Operations and Program Development, Joel Oliva. “We will continue to help grow and evolve Lift & Move USA to attract more young people to the industry, and we think Houston is a great location for such an event.”
The Houston Lift & Move USA event was organized in partnership with SC&RA member TNT Cranes & Rigging, whose headquarters at South Loop West freeway, Houston, hosted the conference.
“TNT is very excited to partner with SC&RA, NCCCO, and KHL for the Houston Lift & Move USA,” said Mike Appling, TNT’s President and CEO. “The single largest issue facing the crane industry is a shortage of skilled labor. It is imperative that young professionals understand the outstanding career opportunities in crane and rigging. Houston is an activity hot zone for the diversified end markets ranging from refining, petro-chemical, LNG, commercial construction, and more, and therefore a great place to host this event.”
The conference, which was organized in cooperation with SkillsUSA, the national organization that helps students prepare for careers in technical, skilled, and service occupations, provided attendees with an overview of job opportunities in the industry alongside personal testimonies from young people already working in the sector.
Joel Dandrea, Executive Vice President of SC&RA, said Lift & Move USA in Houston, being held only eight months after the inaugural event in Chicago, built momentum for the initiative; “Chicago was a great success, attracting almost 150 young people and demonstrating that there is real interest in the lifelong career opportunities offered by our industry. Now we can build on that in Houston. We also learned a lot from Chicago. Our second event will be shorter—reduced to one day—and hosted at a crane yard rather than a hotel, which will give the students an up-close look at cranes and other equipment. We urge the wider industry to get behind this positive initiative.”
The event promoted career opportunities to the next generation of employees, highlighting all sorts of jobs, from crane operators, truck drivers, and CAD design engineers to mechanics, welders, and sales staff.
Crane, specialized transport, and rigging companies work in a wide range of industries including construction, oil and gas, energy and transportation. They provide cranes, heavy transport, and specialized rigging services.
More details about
Lift & Move USA can be found at:
www.liftandmoveUSA.com or on Twitter at
@LiftMoveUSA. At least two more
Lift & Move USA events are planned for 2016.
Download a PDF of the press release (updated 1/26/16).
UPDATE 01/16: Read more about the event at
ConstructionEquipmentGuide.com.