HICKORY, N.C. — Shurtape Technologies LLC, a producer of pressure-sensitive tapes, set out on a mission in 2015 to educate for success through its Mission: HVAC program. Through this program, three students from Athens Technical College in Athens, Georgia, embarked on a journey of learning and discovery. Over the course of 10 months, they received HVAC-themed missions, which challenged them to put their classroom learning and real-life experiences into action and then reported their findings via blog posts on Shurtape.com.

Shurtape recently launched its second year of the Mission: HVAC program with three new students who were selected from a pool of applicants from technical schools nationwide. Like their predecessors, they will receive 10 HVAC-themed missions that will require them to conduct research, interview HVAC professionals, meet with industry experts, and then compile that knowledge into blog posts. And, they will be rewarded for their participation in the program and completion of all 10 missions with $5,000 to put toward the cost of their education and help prepare them for future employment.

The 2016 Mission: HVAC students include Derick Chandler, Ivy Tech Community College in Columbus, Indiana; Jacob Hall, Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, North Carolina; and Michael Dermer, Athens Technical College in Athens, Georgia.

“Our Mission: HVAC program was introduced last year in response to the growing concern over the future of the skilled trades, particularly as baby boomers continue to age out of the workforce with very few replacements. The HVAC field has a lot to offer in terms of a career path, but those entering this workforce need to come armed with a quality educational background to meet the demands of potential employers. And that often comes with a price tag,” said Glenn Walter, product manager for building and construction tapes at Shurtape. “This program helps to shed some light on the training required to become an HVAC professional, celebrate the students’ hard work and accomplishments, and take off some of the financial burden associated with getting that technical education. We hope our new students bring the same fresh perspective and positive energy to every challenge we give them, just like our three students from Athens Technical College did in 2015.”

Visit shurtape.com/blog to follow the journeys of this year’s students.

Publication date: 6/20/2016 

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