Wolverine Boots Joins Forces with Coach Jim Harbaugh and SkillsUSA to Amplify National Signing Day

Head football coach will partner with Wolverine to celebrate students who have chosen to pursue a career in the skilled trades  

ROCKFORD, Mich., April 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wolverine, the 140-year-old boot and clothing company, is continuing its partnership with SkillsUSA through their participation in National Signing Day on May 4, 2023. As part of their support of the program, the Wolverine brand is bringing renowned coach and current head football coach of the University of Michigan Wolverines, Jim Harbaugh, to speak to students and inspire them with the same work ethic he is known to instill in his players. Harbaugh, alongside five University of Michigan football players, will attend the annual Signing Day event at the Bay Arenac ISD Career Center in Bay City, Michigan.

SkillsUSA National Signing Day is designed to support thousands of high school students across the nation as they sign their letter of intent, committing to further their education with a trade program in residential wiring, building trades and renovations, HVAC or plumbing, and more. In 2022, over 1,000 students in 33 states participated in Signing Day.

"I'm proud to be a part of this impactful event with the Wolverine brand to celebrate these students in the same way that student athletes are celebrated for committing to a 4-year university," said Coach Jim Harbaugh. "It's important to recognize and encourage those who are pursuing careers in the skilled trades as this is a critical industry that keeps our country running. There's no better place off the field for my players and me to rally around our blue-collar work ethic than at SkillsUSA Signing Day."

With only 9 percent of high school students pursuing careers in the trades, skilled labor is in short supply. In 2014, Wolverine Boots assembled a team to champion these important jobs and started Project Bootstrap to celebrate and support those choosing to go into the skilled trades. As an official sponsor of SkillsUSA National Signing Day, Wolverine will be donating $75,000 to the SkillsUSA Hope Fund on this day. This contribution will reward SkillsUSA Signing Day students through financial support that will enable them to attend the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference.

"The partnership with Wolverine and the Michigan Wolverines began because of our shared values around hard work, dedication, and grit," said Scott Schoessel, VP of Marketing at Wolverine. "Coach Harbaugh's involvement at SkillsUSA Signing Day will amplify our partnership as his attendance will surely inspire and infuse confidence to students across the nation as they embark on their career in the skilled trades."

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. For more information on SkillsUSA National Signing Day, visit www.skillsusa.org.  For more information on Wolverine and their dedication to the skilled trades industry, visit Wolverine.com.

About Wolverine

Wolverine, the 140-year-old boot and clothing company, is on a mission to honor the spirit and tenacity of the American worker and build the next generation of skilled trades people. Taking pride in crafting durable boots with unrivaled craftsmanship and the highest quality materials, Wolverine is dedicated to serving hardworking people all over the world. Through Project Bootstrap, Wolverine has contributed nearly $2 million over the last 5 years to organizations in support of skilled trades. For more information, visit www.wolverine.com. Wolverine is a division of Wolverine Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: WWW)

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen the nation's skilled workforce. Driven by employer demand, SkillsUSA helps students develop necessary personal and workplace skills along with technical skills grounded in academics. This SkillsUSA Framework empowers every student to succeed at work and in life while helping to close the skills gap in which millions of skilled trade positions go unfilled. Through SkillsUSA's Championships program and curricula, employers have long ensured schools are teaching relevant skills, and with SkillsUSA's new credentialing process, they can now assess how ready potential employees are for the job. SkillsUSA has nearly 400,000 members nationwide in high schools, colleges and middle schools, covering over 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations. SkillsUSA is recognized by the U.S. departments of education and labor as integral to career and technical education. It has served nearly 14.2 million members since 1965. For more information, visit: www.skillsusa.org.

SOURCE Wolverine