The HVAC/R field finds itself in a strange place. On the one hand, it’s experiencing a constant spike in demand, especially with the development of new, smart heating and air conditioning technologies that customers are looking for. 

The fact is that more and more clients are not only looking for the most efficient residential or commercial HVAC solution, but also for the most convenient one, and advancements in the industry are making this possible, only leading to a further rise in interest among customers. 

However, as good as this is for our field, there’s a persistent problem regarding the lack of educated HVAC/R technicians looking to pursue a career in HVAC. While employers are struggling to find talent to fill their ranks, young individuals are without jobs and lacking knowledge of the possibilities this industry offers. 

At the Gustave A. Larson Company, we’ve recognized this problem and decided to work hard on resolving it. That’s why we’ve formed a professional partnership with GPS Education Partners and envisioned an intermediary work-based learning program that will serve two functions – to show young people the prospect of a career in HVAC and bring employers a chance to educate up-and-coming technicians with the potential of staying with their company. 

Experience & exploration opportunities

At the Larson Company, we’ve looked long and hard for a dependable partner to help us bring employment and experience opportunities for a career in HVAC closer to young talent. With approximately 94% of all students disinterested in pursuing a career in the trades, including the HVAC/R industry, we wanted to work on a solution, not just discuss the problem.

In GPS Education Partners, we recognized the desire and the commitment for fostering change. They help us navigate the challenges of the labor pool by actively working with us on creating concrete solutions that work. 

It is this collaboration that has helped us make the initial first step in educating students about the prospects of a lucrative career in the trades before moving on to the next step – providing opportunities for earning invaluable experience. 

We take on this challenge by focusing on the different aspects of helping students first discover their interest and aptitudes, and then nurturing their willingness to seize experiential learning opportunities that correspond to our high standards of quality. 

Discovering career aptitudes and interests

Alongside GPS Education Partners, we provide comprehensive counseling and career mapping services supported with expert training and employability opportunities. By creating a mentorship program, we give students a chance to gain valuable workplace skills and experience, build confidence in their desired field of expertise, and further foster career awareness with concrete examples of growth and development potential. 

We emphasize a combination of hands-on workplace experience with more education-based learning opportunities to create a cohesive experience that allows students to create a mindset of future-oriented thinking and focus on the career prospects that the HVAC/R field brings.

What’s more, with GPS Education Partners, we also create customized training programs that reflect the necessary real-world employment competencies and requirements. Our focus on on-job training and additional traditional education allows students to acquire essential soft and hard skills for easy and fast adaptation to different workplace environments and tasks. Our experiential learning method consists of the following elements: 

• Internships

• Pre-apprenticeships

• Opportunities for paid employment

• PBL (Project Based Learning) related to the HVAC/R industry

• Development of professional portfolios

• Personal reflection on individual educational and professional goals

Recruitment potential

In addition to being completely dedicated to educating students and granting them lucrative opportunities for pursuing a career in HVAC, together with GPS Education Partners we’re also working hard on helping business owners find, attract, and retain young professionals ready to work in this industry. 

Within our partnership, we’ve created a four-pronged approach to resolving the current shortage of educated and motivated students willing to give the heating and air conditioning industry a try. We’ve have separated this issue into four distinct categories and we’re developing solutions to resolve them: 

• Talent pipeline solution: First and foremost, we’re actively working on finding a lasting solution for the current with a lacking talent pool. We’re aware that talent is the most important driving force behind innovation, advancements, and proper production, which is why this is our no.1 priority. 

• Closing the skill gap: We’ve also designed our program to deal with the biggest gap employers face when attempting to recruit prospective technicians into their companies – the skill gap. Many individuals who would like to try their hand in the HVAC/R field lack the prerequisite credentials and skills to do so. 

• Business growth: There’s little potential for business owners to expand their operations without skilled and qualified employees. We’re resolving this issue by attracting students and supplying them with the knowledge and the skills necessary for stable employment and career-advancing opportunities in our field. 

The Larson Company helps you explore and navigate the career & employment opportunities in the HVAC industry

At the Larson Company, we look to the future of our industry and we focus on more than just the troubles of today. Our forward thinking has led us to join forces with GPS Education Partners. This is our way of addressing the current requirements of the heating and air conditioning field while also doing our part in establishing strong foundations for a secure future of our industry. 

Together, we’ve developed a WBL program that helps both young and prospective technicians and employers looking to close the gap at their workplace. Our Industry Awareness Program was established with a clear vision, and that’s to provide lucrative and stable career opportunities to our rising talents and bring the HVAC/R industry closer to them.

We want to resolve these problems so we can focus on future growth and expansion throughout our chosen field of operations. As the leading wholesale distributor in the Midwest, the Plains, and the Mountain states, we’re using our unique position to give back and to move our industry forward. Reach out to us today and see how this program can help you!