ARA launches national workforce development campaign

The American Rental Association (ARA) debuted its workforce development campaign – Born for This – at The ARA Show^TM 2024, held February 19 – 21 in New Orleans, La.

As a prelude to The ARA Show keynote session, Tony Conant, ARA chief executive officer (CEO), introduced the new campaign titled Born for This, which features two videos – one for equipment rental and one for event rental – that raise awareness about the various careers within the industry.

The two videos follow people from childhood hobbies to honing those skills in the present day where they work in the rental industry. An online media and social media strategy featuring the Born for This videos will be executed throughout 2024, engaging the target audience and prospective workforce where they consume news, information and entertainment.

“Whether you were literally born into the family business or were a kid who liked to set up tents and play with toy trucks, there is a place in this industry for you, and with this campaign, we really wanted to call that out,” says Conant.

In addition to the national campaign spots, ARA’s social media channels will feature ARA members sharing stories of the point in their lives when they realized they were born for rental. One of those members is ARA’s 62nd president, Jeff Crotto, CERP, president, All About Events, Jacksonville, Fla. Crotto said when he first started his rental career 20 years ago, he was new to the industry.

“For me, rental awareness should be something on top of all our minds. The more we share, volunteer and participate in these efforts, the stronger our industry will be,” he says.

The Born for This national campaign is intended to increase awareness of jobs within the rental industry, emphasizing that rental careers offer financially rewarding opportunities, upward mobility and job stability as part of a $61.5 billion industry.