WASHINGTON, DC — As part of its five-year strategic plan and commitment to workforce development, the American Bakers Association (ABA) announced a new partnership with the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) Network, a non-profit organization designed to connect high schoolers with real-world career prospects.
The collaboration will grant the association and its members an opportunity to connect with and inspire high school students to pursue careers in the baking industry.
“This collaboration is a natural next step in ABA’s strategic plan to establish the commercial baking industry as a destination workplace and reflects the association’s unwavering commitment to shaping the future of the baking workforce,” said Eric Dell, president and CEO of ABA.
The partnership will not only strengthen ABA’s student engagement strategies; it will also elevate the impact of bakingworks.org, a communications platform designed to inform prospects of the career opportunities available in commercial baking.
ABA will achieve this through the expertise of Nate Clayberg, CAPS business and industry director, who will serve as a liaison between the association and school networks.
“With Nate’s expertise and CAPS’ national network, we are building the groundwork for sustainable talent pipelines and showing students that baking is a purpose-driven career built on community, innovation and opportunity,” Dell said.
Clayberg’s involvement in the partnership will include strategic guidance for youth-focused content and equipping baking industry employers with best practices for attracting and retaining young team members.
“The commercial baking industry has a powerful story to tell,” Clayberg said. “CAPS is excited to help share that story with students and educators and to build bridges between education and meaningful employment.”
