The Associated Equipment Distributors Foundation (AEDF), based in Schaumburg, Illinois, says its Registered Apprenticeship Program has received National Program Standard approval from the US Department of Labor. The approval was granted by the department's Office of Apprenticeship in September 2026.
National Program Standards are the framework for registered apprenticeships that run across several states or nationwide. A programme has to meet federal regulatory requirements and show that its occupational standards, structure and scope suit national use. With the approval, the foundation's programme becomes a nationally recognised route for equipment dealers to train technicians through structured on-the-job training, mentoring and supplemental education.
The step comes as dealers struggle to hire and keep qualified technicians. The foundation's 2026 Technician Shortage Report, released recently, found that agriculture and construction equipment dealers face a shortage of 10,000 technicians a year, which the report estimates costs them about $7 billion annually.
"Equipment dealers need skilled technicians, and we need to continue developing new and effective pathways into these careers," said Sean Fitzgerrel, vice president of the AED Foundation. He said the national approval gives dealers "another valuable tool to recruit, train and develop the next generation of equipment technicians" and gives apprentices a clear path into the trade.
The shortage figure covers agriculture dealers, the businesses that sell and service farm machinery, as well as construction dealers. The foundation says workforce development is now a central part of its mission, and that it works with dealers, educational institutions and industry partners to promote careers in the equipment trade and strengthen the supply of technicians.
Photo: Michael Trolove / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Source: Precision Farming Dealer
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