Wednesday: Insider Shop Talk with Workforce Development Insights from Universal Steel, Decide DeKalb

September 5, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHICAGO - Proactive fabricators are partnering with local organizations to tackle the skilled trade labor shortage head-on. Exhibit A: a successful collaboration between Universal Steel and Decide DeKalb.

They'll share what they've learned from working together in the first of a series of free, virtual Insider Shop Talk sessions from the American Institute of Steel Construction, which will take place at 11 a.m. Central on Wednesday, September 10.

"Many AISC member fabricators I speak with about the skilled trades shortage don't know where to start," said AISC Director of Workforce Development Jennifer Traut-Todaro, SE, LEED AP. "The problem just seems too big. The Insider Shop Talk series offers real-life solutions through engaging conversations with members and their partners."

In the case of Universal Steel and Decide DeKalb, that meant aligning education, industry, and economic development to open real pathways for local talent, including students fresh out of high school. It's a story of persistence, progress, and potential--and it's a great model for anyone tackling a similar issue.

The panel will include:

• Universal Steel, Inc. CEO Bray Bourne
• Decide DeKalb Workforce Program Manager Rudi Pangad
• Decide DeKalb Business Retention and Expansion Manager Katrina Young
• Moderator: AISC Director of Workforce Development Jennifer Traut-Todaro, SE, LEED AP

See aisc.org/workforcehub for bios and further details.

AISC will mark National Career Development Month in November with its second virtual Insider Shop Talk, where AISC's Joel Landsverk, manager of AISC's award-winning Fabricator Education Training Program, will discuss what happened when Steel Supply & Engineering in Grand Rapids, Mich., invested in their workforce's skills and growth. Stay tuned for further details!

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For more information contact:

Dani FriedlandDirector of Marketing [email protected]

American Institute of Steel Construction

The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), a not-for-profit technical institute supported by the steel industry, partners with the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) community to develop safe and efficient steel specifications and codes while driving innovation to make steel the most sustainable, economic, and resilient structural material. For more than a century, AISC has been a reliable resource for information and advice on the design and construction of domestically fabricated structural steel buildings and bridges.130 E. Randolph St, Suite 2000Chicago IL 60601 312.670.2401 https://www.aisc.org