A recent report from the HVACR Workforce Development Foundation The Next Generation of HVACR Installers and Technicians investigates the concerns the Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, and Refrigeration (HVACR) industry has about filling the HVACR jobs of the future.
Based on survey data from HVACR instructors and those who work in industry, the report explores questions like:
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- In what ways do key policies influence adequate student preparation for HVACR careers (e.g., accreditation, certification, licensure, and apprenticeships)? What actions taken by practitioners and policymakers could streamline, focus and improve these policies to ensure an adequate workforce?
- To what extent do secondary and post-secondary educational programs adequately prepare a sufficient number of students for HVACR employment? What are the particular challenges that affect program quality, and what strategies could address them?
- In what ways could training institutions and HVACR employers improve collaboration with each other and/or strengthen existing efforts to ensure a steady pipeline of qualified workers through targeted recruitment, strong retention plans, and ongoing program evaluation?
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The report goes on to outline several recommendations for professional development, accreditation and certification, and improving existing programs.
Many of the recommendations for instructors focused on finding new ways to ensure students are educated, engaged, and excited about their future careers in HVACR field.
Here’s just a sampling:
Ensure that standards and benchmarks for student progress are carefully designed to align with curriculum and certification requirements as well as workplace requirements
Form mentoring programs, job shadowing or ride-alongs, beginning at the secondary level.
Less formal than internships and apprenticeships, these practices increase supports for struggling students, bonding them to knowledgeable adults, and lessening the likelihood of dropout.
Discover how to create opportunities for internships and apprenticeships with HVACR employers.
This mutually supportive recruitment will allow the supply to meet the demand.
Read the full report and recommendations here.
