ORANGE, Calif. — Fieldpiece Instruments, a provider of tool and test instruments for HVACR professionals for over 30 years, announced the second annual #MasteroftheTrade Scholarship. Fieldpiece partnered with SkillsUSA to administer the distribution of more than $25,000 in 2023 scholarship opportunities designed to give back to the HVACR industry it serves. The #MasteroftheTrade Scholarship will support 13 SkillsUSA students studying HVACR in their junior or senior year of high school, or as college or postsecondary students, granting them funds to continue their education in a college or postsecondary HVACR technology program. Seven $2,500 criteria-based postsecondary education scholarships will go to SkillsUSA HVAC students and a total of $10,000 in scholarships will go to the six gold, silver, and bronze medal-winning high school and college/postsecondary students who top the leader-boards of the National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC).

“As a sincere advocate for the HVACR community, Fieldpiece strives to support both new and seasoned professionals in the HVACR industry,” said Tony Gonzalez, technical training manager at Fieldpiece Instruments. “Our commitment goes beyond simply designing and developing HVACR tools that enhance the way techs work. Fieldpiece is devoted to the future of the industry and is proud to help ensure young up-and-coming professionals are well-equipped with tools, knowledge and resources to support their future success. Whether supporting techs through free online training resources like Fieldpiece University, an online platform designed to keep industry professionals at the top of their game; or supporting the path to an HVACR career with scholarships like #MasteroftheTrade, we want to see our community thrive!”  

Through this continued scholarship offering, Fieldpiece Instruments also sheds light on the shortage of trained labor in the HVACR industry. With more than 110,000 unfilled HVAC technician jobs, Fieldpiece hopes to help spread the word about the positive career opportunities the industry offers.

“There is a critical need for more HVACR technicians,” said Chelle Travis, executive director at SkillsUSA. “We sincerely thank Fieldpiece Instruments for supporting SkillsUSA and our nation’s future workforce. We are rolling up our sleeves every day to support career and technical education as we forge meaningful partnerships with industry. Working together with Fieldpiece Instruments, we can help close the skills gap.”

To apply for the seven #MasteroftheTrade Scholarships, applicants must be SkillsUSA members enrolled in its HVACR or general construction programs who plan to study HVACR at the college or postsecondary level in the class of 2023-24 (high school seniors) or 2024-25 school year (high school juniors). The scholarship application must include a resume and either an essay (300 words or fewer) or a video (1-3 minutes) answering the question: “Why have you chosen a career in HVACR?” The scholarship opened on Dec. 1 and applications must be submitted by April 1, 2023. Scholarship recipients will be announced on May 16, 2023.

Scholarships will be awarded based on the merit of the application including the essay or video and the proficiency of the SkillsUSA Framework skills demonstrated in the application materials. To receive the funds, scholarship recipients must provide an acceptance letter from their postsecondary education program or their first semester tuition invoice. The funds will be distributed directly to the school.

The SkillsUSA Championships is a workforce development event for middle-school, high-school, and college/postsecondary students enrolled in public career and technical education programs. The contests are planned by representatives of labor and management and are designed to test the skills needed for successful entry-level performance in given occupational fields. Safety practices and procedures — an area of concern to labor and management alike — are part of each contestant’s score. SkillsUSA represents 130 different occupational areas and adds contests to the SkillsUSA Championships each year to meet the demands of new or expanding careers. In 2023, the SkillsUSA Championships will feature more than 6,000 competitors in 110 hands-on skill and leadership contests. Each contestant is a state gold medalist.