Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 7, 2026, as Skilled Trades Day in the State of New York

Assembly Resolution No. 1293

BY: M. of A. Rules (Durso)

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        May 7, 2026, as Skilled Trades Day in the  State  of
        New York

  WHEREAS,  It  is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor skilled
trades professionals and the critical role they play in the  development
of  the State of New York; these talented and hard-working men and women
are an asset beyond remuneration and cannot  be  sufficiently  extolled;
and

  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to memorialize
Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim Wednesday, May  7,  2026,  as  Skilled
Trades  Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance
of National Skilled Trades Day; and

  WHEREAS, National Skilled Trades Day aims to raise  awareness  about
the  benefit  of  skilled  trades  jobs  in  the  State  of New York and
throughout the United States; and

  WHEREAS, Across the  Nation,  many  businesses  are  facing  a  huge
dilemma,  there  are  more  skilled  trades  job openings than there are
people to fill them; according to Forbes, over 53% of  workers  employed
in  a  skilled trade are nearing retirement age and only 1 in 5 students
graduating from high school have shown an interest in trade jobs; and

  WHEREAS, Over the last 30 years, parents have encouraged children to
attend colleges or  universities  after  graduating  from  high  school,
neglecting  to  embrace  the  value  found in skilled trades; when these
students graduate from college, they are often faced with crippling debt
and a job market that simply is not hiring; and

  WHEREAS, On the  other  hand,  trades  jobs  often  only  require  a
certificate  for employment, meaning that those looking to go into trade
jobs will face little to no debt when they enter the workforce, and they
can  enter  the  workforce  much  sooner  than  their  college   student
counterparts; and

  WHEREAS,  Skilled trade jobs often offer excellent pay as a means to
meet the demand for these jobs, as well as benefits and healthcare; and

  WHEREAS,  Skilled  Trades  Day   was   founded   by   City   Machine
Technologies,  Inc.  which  is  currently  facing a labor shortage since
mechanically inclined workers are becoming increasingly  more  difficult
to find; and

  WHEREAS,  Sixty-two  percent  of  employers  representing  the trade
industry have reported struggling to find individuals to fill  important
skilled  trade  positions,  raising concerns about the future employment
levels of the trades as a whole; and

  WHEREAS, Skilled Trades Day was established  to  inform  individuals
and  raise  awareness  of  the  benefits of being a skilled laborer, and

recruit  and  retain  skilled  workers  to  fulfill  the  need  for  the
industry's future workforce requirement; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 7,  2026,  as  Skilled
Trades Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of  New
York.