Consider the following, previously disparate, statistics.
- The manufacturing skills gap in the U.S. could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030. The cost of those missing jobs could potentially total $1 trillion in 2030 alone.
- Nearly 8 million young people participate in high school sports annually . That is a pool of 2 million graduating student-athletes per year. Only about 100,000 (or 5%) will participate in athletics at a NCAA Division 1 or 2 university, less than half with an athletic scholarship .
TradeSports is for student-athletes who wish to continue with college athletics, but are best suited to vocational trade training, rather than attendance at a four-year university, where they may not have the GPA or financial resources to be successful. The outcome will be a rich, two-year experience that simultaneously provides intercollegiate athletic participation and training for a lucrative, fulfilling career in the skilled trades.
You'll never know where it may lead.
Pictured above is Dr. Tony Schmitz, joint faculty researcher in machining and machine tools at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and mechanical, aerospace and biomedical engineering professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Schmitz began his journey at Independence Community College in Kansas, then to Temple University to play football and study engineering and finally to earn his Ph.D. at the University of Florida.
In addition to his work with ORNL and UT, Schmitz is a 2011 Sports Emmy Award winner for his scientific contributions to the Science of NFL Football video series for NBC. He has held faculty positions with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Florida. At Florida, he was known as the "Pigskin Professor". In addition to his academic career, Dr. Schmitz has served high school football coaching stints in New Jersey, Florida and North Carolina, as well as, on the coaching staff of the Division 1 Charlotte 49ers. At Charlotte, he was the position coach of current Pittsburgh Steeler, Alex Highsmith.
Dr. Schmitz has founded TradeSports to improve the opportunities for Student-Athletes.
In addition to his work with ORNL and UT, Schmitz is a 2011 Sports Emmy Award winner for his scientific contributions to the Science of NFL Football video series for NBC. He has held faculty positions with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Florida. At Florida, he was known as the "Pigskin Professor". In addition to his academic career, Dr. Schmitz has served high school football coaching stints in New Jersey, Florida and North Carolina, as well as, on the coaching staff of the Division 1 Charlotte 49ers. At Charlotte, he was the position coach of current Pittsburgh Steeler, Alex Highsmith.
Dr. Schmitz has founded TradeSports to improve the opportunities for Student-Athletes.
