Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine November 2025

HVACR NewsMagazine November 2025

education News

instructors are already stretched thin, juggling day, afternoon, and night programs, often on their own. They need help! Recruitment isn’t just the responsibility of educators, it’s everyone’s job! You know firsthand what kind of entry-level technicians you’re looking for. You can tell the real story of what a career in HVACR looks like and why it’s a smart, future-proof career move. The Untapped Talent Pool: Students Already in the Trades While visiting the nearly 27,00 high schools, over 1,000 community colleges, and over 85,00 trade schools across the United States sounds admirable, it’s not efficient, especially since many students have already committed to non-trade career paths. The smarter move? Focus on the roughly 1,400 HVACR training programs already operating within these schools. These students have already chosen the trades. They’ve invested time, money, and energy into learning the basics and gaining hands-on experience. A ll that’s left is for them to choose an employer who can offer a meaningful path forward. Engaging with these programs allows contractors to connect with motivated individuals who are already committed to a skilled trade. These students represent the future of our industry, and they’re ready to work.

HVACR Recruitment

The United States is facing a critical shortage of skilled workers across the building trades. This challenge is about to deepen as 40% of today’s skilled tradespeople are expected to retire within the next decade. At the same time, the nation’s birth rate has dropped to just 1.6 children per couple. That combination means fewer people entering the workforce and even fewer entering the trades. Now more than ever, the HVACR industry must adapt and innovate to recruit and retain the next generation of talent, and contractors have a pivotal role to play in shaping that future.

Why Contractors Must Get Involved Ask most contractors who should be out recruiting young talent, and they’ll often point to trade school instructors. But let’s be real, most