Be Pro Be Proud, the workforce initiative of the Associated Industries of Arkansas, launched its first mobile workshop in 2016 with the purpose of changing student, teacher, parent and legislator perceptions of skilled technical programs and careers. Be Pro Be Proud aims to connect students with in-demand, high-wage jobs available right out of high school.
The message that a successful career does not require a traditional four-year degree has continued to resonate not only in Arkansas but across the country. Since its launch, the Be Pro Be Proud movement has expanded to include two mobile workshops in Arkansas and additional state-led initiatives in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, New Mexico and, as of 2025, Alabama and Texas.
The Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop tours schools across the state and uses virtual reality simulators to allow students to experience technical careers that may otherwise be unfamiliar. The popularity of the Mobile Workshop in both educational and workforce development circles has created a growing waitlist of tour stops, signaling strong demand and opportunity in the skilled trades.
For more information on Be Pro Be Proud, visit beprobeproud.org.
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