Generation Z is catching on that the trades offer them everything they want out of a career, and then some: job security, good pay, flexibility, and more — so much so, that a recent Wall Street Journal article called them the “toolbelt” generation.

Last year, enrollment in vocational training programs grew by 16%, reaching its highest level since the National Student Clearinghouse began tracking such data in 2018. Since 2018, the percentage has risen a total of 23%. Careers in HVAC specifically rose 7%. While it might not feel like it to those working in the industry and searching for workers on a daily basis, the trades are, in fact, making a comeback.

In a recent Jobber survey comprised of high school- and college-age people, 75% of them said they would be interested in vocational schools offering paid, on-the-job training. Also according to the same survey, the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the career path of many.

With this growth — much of which can be attributed to the use of new recruiting methods, like social media, to spread awareness about the opportunities a career in the trades can provide — comes the need for more trainers.

Gen Z is a different breed, which means those who are chosen to train them have an important job to do. Choosing these trainers is just as important. To be effective, these individuals need to not only be well-versed in HVAC but also know how to communicate in a way that — as Gen Z might say — they’ll “vibe with.”

Where to find these people? HVAC contractors will have to take a look around to find trainers who possess the necessary knowledge (and time) right off the bat to train, such as those who are looking to retire but aren’t quite ready to stop working. They might also have to outsource, much like the way they’ve been doing with field talent — looking for people who have the traits to be successful but may lack the necessary HVAC experience.

The Three Es

Since there is already a labor shortage, the thought of finding yet more labor for training purposes may be a little overwhelming for a lot of HVAC contractors.

Silberstein said there are three Es to the training process: engage, entertain, and educate.

“Without the engaging and entertaining, educating becomes a much more difficult process,” said Eugene Silberstein, national programs director of HVAC Excellence. “When it comes to teaching Generation Z learners, the engagement element can be very challenging, especially for older instructors.”

So, to continually attract each generation to the HVACR industry, contractors have to learn and adapt to what each generation requires and wants (within reason, of course).

For example, Generation Z places heavy emphasis on communication.

“They’ll talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly, so it’s important to give them something good to talk about,” Silberstein said. “If our students are having a great time in school, they’ll tell everyone about it. It’s up to our teachers to create an environment that is conducive to learning and exciting for our students. Our students will take it from there and make certain that all of their friends learn about our amazing industry.”

The right type of trainers for this industry should possess a few specific qualities. For starters, they have to know how the generation they are training differs from past ones.

“Generation Z students grew up with a multitude of technologies in their hands and, as a result, are very proficient in all things digital,” Silberstein said. “To connect, pun intended, with their students, teachers must also embrace technology and bring high-tech, digital resources into their classrooms.”

This could be particularly challenging for those teachers who grew up in an analog world, or at least one with a lot less accessibility to technology. But the reality is, the relationship Gen Z has with technology fits right in with the present mindset of the HVACR industry.

“We are using high-tech, web-based tools that have the ability to track, record, and process data obtained from our equipment,” Silberstein said. “Older generations of service technicians are less likely to embraces these technologies than are our younger, more technologically-driven technicians.”

Finding Trainers

A lot of the trainers will most likely come from the HVACR industry specifically — think those who have been in the HVAC field for a long time and want to pass down their passion and knowledge to the next generation.

“Obviously you've got a lot of these baby boomers retiring, and if they want to work for a couple more years, there's a great teacher,” said Hilger. “Someone who's highly experienced and ready to go.”

“And I think they find that really fulfilling,” Cinnamo added. “When getting more people to want to train, I think you not only need to talk about why the HVAC industry is so important, but you have to frame it for them to think about why the passion or the talents that they have is also so important, and how that can be put into motion to educate and train the next generation.”

For those who transitioned from the field to the classroom, that transition can be quite seamless. For others, it may take more of a realization, and then require effort by both them and those considering them for the job.

With the shortage of labor nowadays, though, contractors may want to consider looking elsewhere for people who are right to train their technicians — even those whose HVAC experience is limited.

“I think that if you have someone with a teaching background, or has that background in engineering … you need to explain to them why [training for HVAC] is so important. For some, they've been a lifelong teacher (just of a different subject),” said Kate Cinnamo, executive director of Explore The Trades. “I was at a contractor shop last year that had an in-house academy for the for new hires, and the person leading … used to teach in the local high school system and had nothing to do with the trades, but they felt like they were mechanically minded, had the aptitude, and certainly the teaching background. It's just letting go of some of the perceptions of the trades themselves, and then I think we can sort of undo those perceptions that we might have of instructors, and think about where we could find that skill set necessary to really teach or explain the trade.”

Training Trainers

The best trainers for the HVAC industry will obviously possess enough knowledge on the topic at hand to train it in the first place. Apart from that, they’ll know how to communicate with those they are training by realizing they are different than generations past.

For Gen Z specifically, social media and constant accessibility is a huge influence.

“Effective teachers realize this and utilize vetted social media platforms and influencers to supplement their training,” Silberstein said. “The information students consume online can become topics for further discussions in the classroom. These interactive/group discussions will help encourage and strengthen the effective communication skills on which success in our industry relies.”

“I think ultimately it's how can that person communicate effectively and how can they really relate to the younger generation that are that are coming in,” Cinnamo said. “I think of a technology background too, because so many pieces of equipment are now technology-driven … It's not just wrenches, but it's smart devices, and there's so many things changing that we need to find the people who have experienced that change and can talk in that common language.”

One of the biggest changes to the current workforce is that it’s not only men. Women are becoming increasingly aware of the opportunities that a career in HVAC can provide.

“You’re also seeing a lot more minorities, particularly Spanish speakers, who want to be in the construction industry,” Hilger said.

But that’s nothing new.

“The waves of immigration have [always] moved the trades, and you can see that in the history of the building trades union and the construction industry more broadly,” said Hilger. “I think what we have to be a lot more conscious of is making sure we're accommodating the needs of the workers who are coming in. If there are language barriers, we have to find ways to work safely and make sure we can deal with that. If you have more women on the job site, you need to make sure you're attentive to the needs that women have on a job site. It’s accommodation and thoughtfulness, not a sea change.”