It’s no secret — there’s a shortage of skilled workers in the trades. Here at The NEWS, we’ve heard a lot about it, read a lot about it, and written a lot about it.
Unfortunately, much of what has been said and written in terms of the labor shortage takes the form of gloom-and-doom statistics and anecdotes that just serve to increase contractors’ worries.
We’ve all made New Year’s resolutions — or at least most of us have. In fact, 41 percent of Americans regularly make New Year’s resolutions, according to statisticbrain.com. And, for various reasons, 42 percent fail to achieve their goal.
On June 15, 2017, President Trump signed the executive order expanding apprenticeship programs and vocational training. This executive order calls on the Secretary of Labor, Alexander Acosta, “to propose regulations that promote the development of apprenticeship programs by industry and trade groups, nonprofit organizations, unions, and joint labor-management organizations,”
The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, which recognizes outstanding instruction in the skilled trades in U.S. public high schools, awarded $510,000 to the three first-place winners and seven second-place winners. Harbor Freight Tools made additional donations totaling $44,000 to 44 semi-finalists.
Airtime 500, Addison, Texas, and Perfect Technician Academy, Weatherford, Texas, are working together to offer aid and assistance to the approximately 300 veterans affected by the unexpected closure of the Retail Ready Career Center in Garland, Texas. Students affected by this closure are encouraged to visit www.hvacvets.com to begin the aid process.
In the skilled trades, qualified workers are as valuable as ever before. The skills gap and labor shortage the trades are experiencing are widespread and well-covered, but when dissecting the specific skill sets required to succeed in the HVACR industry, sheet metal training is one area that can, at times, be overlooked.
The late, great D. Brian Baker, president of Custom Vac Ltd. in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and a frequent contributor to The NEWS, once said the labor shortage in the HVAC industry could be attributed, at least in part, to families having fewer children these days.
National Technical Letter of Intent Signing Day is a successful event that has been held each of the last four years, helping thousands of students achieve their moments of glory at more than 40 schools as they prepare for rewarding careers in the skilled trades.