TPM® Skilled Trades Leadership Council

Advancing Employer-Led Workforce Solutions for the Industries Building America’s Future

Across the country, employers are facing unprecedented demand for skilled workers. Historic investments in infrastructure, manufacturing expansion, energy development, transportation modernization, broadband deployment, and housing construction are transforming labor market demand.

At the same time, employers are navigating talent shortages, workforce retirements, changing skill requirements, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence and automation on skilled trades occupations.TPM practitioners are helping employers respond to these challenges every day. The TPM® Skilled Trades Leadership Council aims to connect those efforts, accelerate learning, and build solutions that can scale nationally.

The Talent Pipeline Management® Skilled Trades Leadership Council is a first-of-its-kind community of practice (CoP) bringing together advanced TPM practitioners from across the country to accelerate employer-led workforce solutions in Skilled Trades. Over the next twelve months, council members will co-develop practical tools, playbooks, and case studies to address critical skilled trades workforce challenges—including skills-based hiring, AI’s impact on skilled trades and technician roles, and scalable talent pipeline strategies.

Why Building this Community Matters

Learn

Connect with advanced TPM practitioners working with skilled trades employers across the country and share practical lessons learned.

Build

Co-develop tools, templates, playbooks, case studies, and resources that strengthen TPM implementation nationally.

Influence

Help shape a national employer-led agenda for skilled trades workforce development.

Learn more about the opportunity

Participation Information

The most effective workforce solutions are developed by employers working together. Join a national community committed to building stronger talent pipelines for the industries that power and build America.

Employer Leadership

Strengthen employer ownership of skilled trades workforce solutions and collaborative talent strategies.

AI & Skilled Trades

Explore how artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, and digital technologies are reshaping high-demand skilled trades occupations.

Work-Based Learning

Expand and improve apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and other work-based learning pathways.

Talent Supply Chains

Build sustainable pipelines connecting employers, educators, workforce partners, and talent into high-demand skilled trades careers.

Data & Performance Measurement

Use TPM® and workforce performance data to inform employer decisions and improve talent outcomes.

National Resources

Share tools, templates, case studies, research, and practitioner resources to advance skilled trades workforce strategies nationwide.

We are seeking founding members who are actively engaged in employer-led skilled trades workforce efforts and are prepared to contribute to a national learning community. Only TPM Academy Graduates are considered for this opportunity.

TPM Practitioners
  • TPM Academy Credential Practitioners
  • Chambers of commerce
  • Workforce development organizations
  • Economic development organizations
  • Industry collaborative leaders
Employer and Industry Partners
  • Manufacturing
  • Construction
  • Energy
  • Utilities
  • Transportation
  • Infrastructure
  • Other skilled trades employers and industry organizations
Strong Applicants Will
  • Be actively engaged in a TPM employer collaborative focused on skilled trades or related occupations
  • Demonstrate meaningful employer engagement and industry leadership
  • Be willing to share challenges, emerging practices, and lessons learned with peers
  • Commit to active participation throughout the Community of Practice
  • Engage employer partners in selected conversations and activities

If chosen for the Leadership Council, members should expect to dedicate 2-4 hours per month to accomplish the following activities: 

  • Attend committee meetings and working sessions (approx 1 in-person and 4-5 virtual).
  • Attend Dec 8 Kickoff Meeting in conjunction with Dec 7 HOH skilled trades event.
  • Share tools, lessons learned, and implementation strategies including submitting at least once session proposal for the 2027 skilled trades summit. 
  • Help develop resources for the TPM network.
  • Bring employer voices into discussions and activities including the 2027 skilled trades summit.

Community members will help refine the agenda and prioritize the work. Initial areas may include:

  • Employer leadership and engagement
  • Skilled trades talent supply and career pathways
  • Apprenticeship and work-based learning
  • AI, automation, robotics, and digital technologies
  • Data and performance measurement
  • Recruitment, retention, advancement, and worker transitions
  • Scalable tools and practices for TPM employer collaboratives

October 2, 2026

Applications Open

November 6, 2026

Applications Due

November 10, 2026

Notifications Sent

December 7-8, 2026

First Committee Meeting

In conjunction with the Hiring Our Heroes Skilled Trades event in Washington, D.C. 

January-September 2027

Committee Meetings

Hold virtual committee meetings and topic-focused working sessions; engage employer partners; develop resources and case studies

Mid-2027

TPM Skilled Trades Industry Summit

Help Lead the Skilled Trades Leadership Council

The TPM® Skilled Trades Leadership Council is a working community designed to turn shared workforce challenges into practical, employer-led solutions.

In addition to selecting the founding Council members, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is seeking one co-host organization and two Council co-chairs to help guide the work.

These leadership roles are different but complementary:

  • The co-host organization will serve as a strategic partner, helping anchor the Council’s activities, extend its employer reach, and support the in-person TPM Skilled Trades Industry Summit in 2027.
  • The two co-chairs will help guide the Council’s meetings, workgroups, resource development, and member engagement.

Together, the co-host, co-chairs, Council members, and U.S. Chamber Foundation team will build a national community focused on strengthening skilled trades employer collaboratives and producing resources the broader TPM network can use.

Help Anchor a National Skilled Trades Community

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is seeking one organization to serve as the co-host of the TPM Skilled Trades Leadership Council.

The co-host will be a strategic partner in shaping and supporting the Council’s work. The organization will help connect the Council with skilled trades employers, industry partners, regional initiatives, and promising workforce practices.

The co-host will also work with the U.S. Chamber Foundation, Council co-chairs, and founding members to help shape and support the TPM Skilled Trades Industry Summit in 2027.

Co-Host Expectations

The selected co-host organization will be expected to:

  • Participate in Council planning and priority-setting conversations
  • Help connect the Council with skilled trades employers and industry leaders
  • Provide industry and regional context to inform the Council’s work
  • Identify promising practices, employer-led solutions, and potential case studies
  • Support outreach and visibility for the Leadership Council
  • Help engage employers in reviewing and validating Council tools and resources
  • Work with the U.S. Chamber Foundation and Council co-chairs to shape the 2027 Skilled Trades Industry Summit
  • Help recruit employers and industry partners to participate in the 2027 Summit
  • Support local or industry-facing coordination associated with the Summit
  • Participate in selected Council meetings, working sessions, and public activities

The U.S. Chamber Foundation will continue to lead the overall TPM strategy, national program administration, Council operations, and coordination of the Leadership Council and Summit.

Who Should Express Interest?

Strong co-host candidates will:

  • Be active members of the TPM National Learning Network
  • Lead or support an established skilled trades employer collaborative
  • Have strong relationships with skilled trades employers and industry partners
  • Have experience convening employers around shared workforce challenges
  • Be able to extend the Council’s employer and industry reach
  • Have the organizational capacity to support Council and Summit activities
  • Be committed to collaborative planning and shared leadership
  • Be interested in advancing practical solutions that can benefit the broader TPM network

Why Serve as Co-Host?

The co-host organization will have an opportunity to:

  • Help shape a first-of-its-kind national TPM skilled trades initiative
  • Elevate regional employer-led practices and workforce solutions
  • Strengthen relationships with TPM practitioners and industry partners nationwide
  • Influence the Council’s priorities, tools, and national agenda
  • Showcase its organization, employer partners, and region through Council and Summit activities
  • Help create resources that can support skilled trades employer collaboratives across the country
  • Position its organization as a leader in employer-led skilled trades workforce development

Interested in Becoming the Co-Host?

Organizations may submit an expression of interest describing their skilled trades employer relationships, current TPM work, organizational capacity, and vision for supporting the Leadership Council and 2027 Summit as a part of their council application.

Help Guide the Work of the Founding Council

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is seeking two advanced TPM practitioners to serve as co-chairs of the TPM Skilled Trades Leadership Council.

The co-chairs will serve as practitioner leaders for the Council. They will work together to support member engagement, guide peer learning, advance workgroup activities, and help translate Council discussions into practical tools and resources.

The co-chairs will work closely with the U.S. Chamber Foundation team and the selected co-host organization. They will not be expected to manage the Council independently or handle major event logistics.

Co-Chair Expectations

The two co-chairs will work together to:

  • Help establish the Council charter, priorities, and workplan
  • Participate in planning conversations with the U.S. Chamber Foundation
  • Help prepare for and co-facilitate Council meetings
  • Encourage active and balanced participation from Council members
  • Surface challenges and themes that repeat across industries and regions
  • Help organize and guide topic-focused workgroups
  • Keep workgroups focused on practical activities and deliverables
  • Support the development of tools, templates, playbooks, case studies, and other resources
  • Help integrate labor market information, skills data, and employer insights into the Council’s work
  • Encourage members to test and validate resources with employer partners
  • Help connect Council activities to the 2027 Skilled Trades Industry Summit
  • Represent the Council in selected TPM communications, webinars, presentations, or events
  • Help assess progress and recommend future priorities

Additional Co-Chair Commitment

Because the co-chairs will take on additional leadership responsibilities, co-chair applicants should be prepared to:

  • Dedicate approximately four to six hours per month, depending on the Council’s active work
  • Participate in brief planning calls between regular Council meetings
  • Review agendas, materials, and emerging resources
  • Communicate regularly with the other co-chair and U.S. Chamber Foundation team
  • Help maintain momentum between meetings
  • Attend the first in-person Council meeting on December 8, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
  • Participate in and help shape the 2027 Skilled Trades Industry Summit

Who Should Apply to Co-Chair?

Strong co-chair candidates will:

  • Be TPM Academy Certified Practitioners
  • Lead or actively support a skilled trades employer collaborative
  • Demonstrate meaningful employer engagement
  • Have experience facilitating groups or collaborative discussions
  • Be comfortable working across sectors, occupations, and regions
  • Be able to turn discussion into decisions, activities, and deliverables
  • Have experience creating or implementing workforce tools, strategies, case studies, or resources
  • Be willing to share challenges and lessons learned openly
  • Be able to engage employers in testing and validating Council resources
  • Be willing to work collaboratively with the other co-chair, co-host, Council members, and U.S. Chamber Foundation team

Why Serve as a Co-Chair?

Co-chairs will have an opportunity to:

  • Shape the founding direction of a national skilled trades community
  • Influence the priorities and agenda of the Leadership Council
  • Build relationships with advanced TPM practitioners from across the country
  • Elevate effective practices from their own employer collaborative
  • Lead the development of resources for the broader TPM network
  • Strengthen their visibility as a leader in employer-led workforce development
  • Help shape the 2027 Skilled Trades Industry Summit
  • Contribute to solutions that can be adapted across communities and industries

Interested in Serving as a Co-Chair?

Applicants may indicate their interest in serving as a co-chair within the Skilled Trades Leadership Council application.

Selection as a Council member does not guarantee selection as a co-chair. Co-chairs will be selected based on relevant experience, facilitation and leadership capacity, ability to contribute additional time, and alignment with the Council’s priorities.

APPLY TODAY

Prepare Your Application

The online application must be completed in one sitting and cannot be saved and finished later. We recommend downloading the application worksheet to review every question, see which sections apply to you, and draft your responses in advance. When you’re ready, copy your responses into the form below.

You will also need a letter of support from your organization’s president or board chair.

[ Download the Application Worksheet ]

The worksheet is for planning only. Applications must be submitted through the online form by November 6, 2026.

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