FALLS CHURCH, Va. —The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors -- National Association is offering grants from $1,000 to $5,000. This grant is from the PHCC Educational Foundation's Scholarship program. Most of the awards are aimed at helping apprentices and their employers pay for apprenticeship training.

If a company pays to enroll apprentices or techs in a trade school or the online PHCC Academy, the company can pick the top four candidates and have them complete the application.

In addition to answering some questions about why they want to be in this industry, candidates will need (if possible) a scanned copy of their apprentice school grades, a letter of recommendation from an instructor, and a letter of recommendation from a PHCC member business owner or manager.

Many contractors do not push their apprentices to apply because the company already pays for their training.  But each scholarship won will help to offset those training costs for the company, and allow you to retain and train more workers for our industry. Up to four of your top apprentices can apply to win one of our scholarships, with each win saving your company training costs.

The Foundation's scholarship awards will be available to apprentices and students starting classes that begin after August 1st. Any current apprentices or ones you plan to hire who would be attending apprenticeship classes after August 1st can apply. Apprentices must be working for a PHCC member company to receive an award.

 Awards are also available to college students pursuing studies related to our industry. Together, the Foundation and the PHCC National Auxiliary will award over $140,000 in scholarships this year.

Applications for the May 1 deadline can be completed here.