Case IH and Lincoln Electric know that preparing the next generation of leaders in agriculture starts in the classroom. For the last 75 years, both companies have committed to preparing those future leaders — and ultimately creating a future talent pipeline — by supporting the National FFA Foundation.
Both Case IH and Lincoln Electric’s partnership with National FFA is rich in heritage. The last 75 years of supporting the National FFA Foundation have included various initiatives and programs that have created created myriad opportunities for FFA members — and have turned into longstanding relationships rooted in a strong history.
For Case IH, FFA makes up the past, present and future
“FFA is what makes us who we are and what we will be in the future,” says Kurt Coffey, vice president for Case IH North America. “It’s the lifeblood for Case IH and the agriculture industry in general.”
Case IH is proud of its history with National FFA and knows the importance of continuing to support both the current and future leaders of agriculture. While agriculture has certainly changed over the last 75 years, preparing students for what might come tomorrow is what remains critically important.
“If you look at agricultural education and thought leadership to prepare our industry for tomorrow, I think you see the FFA partnership throughout agricultural education at all levels,” Coffey says. “FFA is really at the tip of that sphere.”
Coffey emphasized the importance of joining together to support agricultural education.
“Agriculture is one of the few industries where we can lock arm-in-arm with other companies and ask how we can support the future of the industry,” Coffey says. “This is an area where we all support each other and ask how we can make a difference.”
Lincoln Electric: The future of agriculture starts in the classroom
An FFA member uses the welding simulator VRTEX in Lincoln Electric’s national convention booth.
To help students build a solid foundation in the classroom, Lincoln Electric continues to support the National FFA Foundation through initiatives such as teacher education programs and professional development opportunities. By preparing teachers in the classroom, they can hand down those skills to their students and create a trickle-down effect.
“We recognize that there are many students in agricultural education across the country who get to experience welding in the classroom,” says Jason Scales, director, global education, at Lincoln Electric. “By supporting not only students but the teachers who are educating those students, we can help support and encourage those skills they might need as they pursue careers in agriculture.”
The skills students gain in an agricultural education classroom can be a stepping stone to many other careers, which continues to fuel Lincoln Electric’s passion to support FFA.
“We know that not every student will become a welder, but we do know that the skills they learn can transfer to so many other careers,” Scales says. “We need more people to interact with the trades and know that we don’t need just welders, we need a wide variety of other skill sets to support the welding industry.”
