HOLT CAT posted on July 28, 2025 22:31
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Caterpillar Inc. is making a five-year, $100 million pledge to fund workforce development and strengthen the manufacturing industry’s future. (MITCHELL COLGAN)By Terry Wagner | Jul. 11, 2025
As it celebrates its 100th anniversary, Caterpillar Inc. has committed $100 million to fund workforce development over five years in the U.S. and abroad.
“This investment reinforces our commitment to developing a workforce with strong technical skills and the agility to thrive in an ever-changing, dynamic environment,” says Caterpillar Chief Human Resources Officer Christy Pambianchi. “By empowering individuals with the skills and resources they need, they can excel — and together, we can continue to build the workforce of the future.”
Irving-based Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.
Doing business across the globe, the company achieved $64.8 billion in 2024 sales and revenue and employs 113,000 people across 63 nations. Its three primary segments are Construction, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation.
“As an industry leader, Caterpillar understands the urgency of preparing the next generation with the capabilities required for the jobs of tomorrow,” notes Jaime Mineart, chief technology officer and pledge executive sponsor. “This pledge, our first of its kind, reflects our dedication to collaborating with our global stakeholders to devise the best training solutions.”
A Fast Track to a Degree — and Fulfilling Career
While the $100 million pledge will support new collaborations and programs, the funding builds on Caterpillar’s existing workforce initiatives, such as ThinkBIG, an innovative technician training program offered at colleges and technical institutes across the U.S. and beyond. The two-year program supplements traditional classroom work with a paid internship at a sponsoring Caterpillar dealership, and graduates earn an accredited degree backed up with over 2,000 hours of invaluable on-the-job experience.
In addition to ThinkBIG, in 2024, Caterpillar stepped up to support the Associated Equipment Distributor Foundation’s Vision 2025 Campaign. The campaign is designed to address the technician shortage within the equipment distribution industry, while also focusing on strengthening the industry’s future by improving programs offered to students across U.S. high schools and technical schools considered underserved in the technical skills space.
Igniting a Passion in STEM and Manufacturing
In addition to helping future service technicians establish their careers, Caterpillar is fostering an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among the younger generation by directing company funding to support local STEM nonprofits, schools and programs.
This past February, for example, Caterpillar was one of the sponsors of Irving ISD’s second annual Ignite STEM Competition. There, groups of Irving middle school students presented their solutions to five challenges designed to spark interest in STEM fields, ranging from video game design and 3D printing to a Rover maze challenge. The entries were judged by industry professionals, and Caterpillar covered supplies, lunch and awards for 80-plus students.
Caterpillar also funds a technology initiative in Keller ISD middle schools that has enabled some 600 students to explore software coding.
A Legacy of Innovation
The company has a long and storied history. Caterpillar was founded in California in 1925 when Benjamin Holt, who outfitted a steam tractor with track treads back in 1904, and C.L. Best (“the Henry Ford of the track-type tractor”) linked to form Caterpillar Tractor Co.
The enterprise has always focused on new technologies and innovations that can help its customers succeed. For example, Caterpillar introduced a diesel tractor in 1931 because diesel fuel was half the price of gasoline and the engine was more powerful and durable. By 1937, Caterpillar was the largest producer of diesel engines in the world, a remarkable position it still holds.
Its sustainability drive was clear in the 1970s when Caterpillar invited customers to trade in used parts for remanufactured ones for a fraction of the cost of a new part. Today, the company is working to reduce its carbon footprint and that of the machines it manufactures.
“Throughout our history, Caterpillar’s continual innovation has meant continuous learning for our workforce — and that stands true today,” says Pambianchi. “But with the advent of powerful technology like AI, the industrial workforce will need to be prepared for roles and tools that aren’t yet created. And that’s what this $100 million pledge is about — ensuring the future workforce is prepared to participate in a great future.”
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