Brian P. McGuire, president and CEO of Associated Equipment Distributors, issued the following statement following President Donald J. Trump's executive order signing that addresses the nation's skilled workforce challenges and establishes the National Council for the American Worker.

“AED commends President Trump for his leadership in addressing the nation's skills gap. Businesses, schools and government officials must collectively commit to tackling the technical workforce shortage, and the president's executive order is a positive step to giving students and workers the necessary skills to thrive in today's economy.

“The greatest strategic challenge facing the construction equipment industry is the scarcity of skilled technical workers. In fact, the industry's technician shortage is costing AED members more than $2.4 billion per year in lost revenue and economic activity. Preparing workers for well-paying careers will ensure that U.S. companies can seize new business opportunities, making the United States more competitive in the global economy. The construction equipment industry looks forward to working with President Trump and his administration to help our nation's students acquire the skills that they need and employers — including AED members — demand.”