It is hard to talk about workforce development in Arkansas without talking about Andrew Parker.
As the State Chamber of Commerce’s government affairs leader and executive director of the Associated Industries of Arkansas Foundation, Parker directs Be Pro Be Proud, a statewide workforce initiative to introduce middle and high school students to high-demand technical careers such as manufacturing, transportation, utilities and forestry while developing a pipeline of motivated, prepared workers for employers.
“A technical career is something that a person can and should pursue as an option of first choice,” Parker said. “In and of itself, it is a valuable, worthwhile thing to do.”
Parker’s path to workforce development began in Arkansas politics. He got his start as an aide on Mike Beebe’s campaign for attorney general in 2001, eventually joined Beebe’s gubernatorial staff, and spent three years as a regulatory attorney at the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission.
In 2012, Parker was hired by Randy Zook, president and CEO of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/AIA, where Parker’s experience uniquely positioned him to address the state’s emerging workforce challenges.
“With [Randy’s] support, we began engaging lots of different groups that ultimately helped us identify a significant issue taking shape in Arkansas — the skills gap.”
Be Pro Be Proud launched in 2016 as an initiative to close the skills gap in Arkansas but has since expanded its footprint across the country. South Dakota recently became Be Pro Be Proud’s 10th state, joining Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
The organization is best known for its mobile operation stations, made up of 78-foot tractor trailer units outfitted with interactive stations that travel across the country. The rigs visit schools to expose students to the career pathways available through skilled professions.
“There are many programs that are similar, but I don’t think there are any that approach it the way we do,” Parker said. “The level of engagement created by our mobile workshop fleet, I don’t think there is anything else like it in the country.”
The organization also hosts draft days on school campuses, providing opportunities for seniors to be paired with companies based on their needs and students’ skills and interests. Each draft day offers real interviews for real jobs, creating avenues for students to explore their next professional steps, all while being celebrated the same way college athletes are traditionally celebrated on decision days.
“If we do not present these careers in the same positive, aspirational manner that we present traditional post-high school pursuits, we will not overcome the very real influence of peers on what is considered an appropriate next step after high school,” Parker said.
Some of the most rewarding moments for Parker have been seeing students find their spark and discover a future for themselves they did not know was possible.
“The thing I love most is hearing from students, educators and parents that the message resonated, the experience had an impact, and aspiration was created,” Parker said. “We hear stories about the student who was at risk of dropping out who comes to school the next day for practically the first time because we created that motivation.”
Workforce development is ever evolving. While some assume the rise of artificial intelligence will leave technical professions untouched, Parker does not think that’s the case. Through partnerships with robotics companies and major tech players such as Meta, Be Pro Be Proud is proactively exploring how workers can use natural-language commands to interact with their tools.
“Imagine a technician putting on Meta Ray-Bans, lifting the hood of a commercial tractor, and using them to help identify and solve a malfunction,” Parker said. “That young person who has the interest and technical know-how becomes immediately more capable. You dramatically increase the productivity of everyone.”
Parker said he knows the full impact of Be Pro Be Proud’s work may not be realized for decades.
“We’re planting trees knowing that we won’t sit beneath their shade,” he said. “That’s what we do every single day, state by state.”
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