HVAC

Skilled Careers Coalition Study Reveals Closing the Knowledge Gap is Key to Inspire Young People to Pursue a Skilled Career

With skilled trades in high demand, Skilled Careers Coalition commissioned the Skilled Trade Insight Research Study to better understand why skilled careers are not being pursued by more young people.

“Our study found the leading obstacle preventing more young people from pursuing a skilled career is not a lack of interest, but a lack of information,” said Mark Hedstrom, Co-Executive Director, Skilled Careers Coalition. “Students have a clear idea of where a four-year college degree or military education can take them, however, they have little to no understanding about vocational schools and apprenticeships, and the dozens of high-paying, skills-based careers that exist across hundreds of industry sectors.”

Students, counselors and parents surveyed shared their perceptions on skilled trades vs. college and military career paths as part of the SCC study which found financial security is the top motivator for youth when choosing a career path, with 76% agreeing that a career in the skilled trades can lead to owning a business and entrepreneurial success. Students surveyed were also drawn to other key aspects of a skilled trade career including job stability, less debt, high quality of life, and high-income potential.

And yet, the SCC study found that only 15% of students surveyed were considering a technical or vocational school or apprenticeship post high school. A lack of information – cited by students, parents and counselors surveyed – emerged as the barrier keeping more youth from considering a skilled career path.

According to the SCC study, a majority of parents (80.3%), counselors (91.3%) and students (92%) surveyed agree that skilled trade workers are as important as first responders and service members. Additionally, when asked if society views those with a traditional college degree as more successful than those who pursue another option, 27% of counselors, 21.3% of parents, and 25.2% of students disagreed. Additional findings from the Skilled Careers Coalition study include:

• Students: 69% said it is outdated to assume a four-year degree is the best pathway to success; while more than 43% said they need more information on technical or vocational schools as an option.

• Parents: While 80% said they have the most influence on their child’s decision-making; less than half (48.8%) admit they do not have enough information about starting the technical or vocational school process for their child. Meanwhile, 84% believe skilled trades provide a stable career path, less time in school, less debt and an overall better quality of life.

• Counselors: Despite their positive perceptions about the skilled trades, more than half (53.9%) of counselors surveyed cite a lack of resources to help guide students who are interested in pursuing skilled trades or vocational programs; while 57% cite workload challenges preventing them from being able to properly understand what future path is best for a student. The majority of counselors surveyed (90%) agree they need to share more information with students and parents about a skilled career option.

Click here to download the complete nine-page Skilled Careers Coalition Skilled Trade Insight Research Study report.

According to SCC, colleges, universities and the military spend as much as $2.3 billion combined marketing to young adults with the goal of recruiting high school students post-graduation. However, for millions of high schoolers, these two options either lack appeal, or just don’t work.

Added Hedstrom, “Millions have built meaningful lives and careers in the skilled trades sector, which is experiencing the greatest demand as the skilled labor gap continues to widen. Skilled Careers Coalition is committed to working with our partners and stakeholders to address the knowledge gap that exists and advance a reimagining of skilled careers as a meaningful and fulfilling career path for younger generations.”

About the Study In June 2022, Skilled Careers Coalition conducted an online survey and series of focus groups in partnership with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). SCC’s Skilled Trade Insight Research Study methodology included students, counselors and parents and a total of 665 respondents with a margin of error of +/- 3.9%.

About Skilled Careers Coalition The Skilled Careers Coalition is on a mission to close the skilled trades gap in America with a three-pronged strategy to 1) INSPIRE the next generation of youth to see skilled careers as a pathway to lifelong happiness, financial success and career fulfillment; 2) CONNECT the disaggregated ecosystem of skilled trades across America by convening stakeholders across the workforce development landscape of private industry, educators, government, youth, and other interested career seekers; and 3) CONVERT interested Americans into the workforce of tomorrow through available and nascent job training platforms. For more information or to get involved visit https://skilledcareers.org.

Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical (Hiller), the region’s premier provider of residential and commercial service and repair, is proud to announce a five-year partnership with The University of Alabama’s Athletic Department and Crimson Tide Sports Marketing. As part of the sponsorship, Hiller was named the “Official Plumbing and HVAC Provider of the Crimson Tide^®”

The University of Alabama is one of the most established public institutions across the Southeast. In addition to its exceptional academic and research offerings, the Crimson Tide’s sports programs are deeply ingrained in the history and traditions of families across the state. With 28 national team championships in football, men’s and women’s golf, gymnastics and softball combined, and countless Southeastern Conference titles, the Crimson Tide is universally recognized as one of the biggest powerhouses among collegiate athletic programs.

Since opening its Huntsville branch in 2015, Hiller has earned a reputation among Alabama homeowners for outstanding customer experiences. As a direct result of this success, Hiller launched its second Alabama location in Birmingham earlier this year. As Hiller’s presence across the state continues to expand, a partnership of this magnitude offers a great avenue to participate in and support the areas that are sustaining the business’s growth.

“We are very excited to partner with The University of Alabama’s Athletic Department,” remarked Jimmy Hiller, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “At Hiller, we always strive to be active participants and supporters of the communities we serve. We have been invested in serving homeowners across Alabama for many years now”, he continued, “And could not be more excited to partner with an organization that creates so many opportunities for so many across the state.”

“Businesses that actively serve families in our area are ideal partners for us. We are so excited to welcome Hiller as a partner,” remarked Jim Carabin, Vice President and General Manager of Crimson Tide Sports Marketing. “Developing exciting experiences for fans and supporting our athletic endeavors for our student-athletes is so important to us. Long-term partnerships with organizations like this are one of the ways that we achieve those goals.”

Launched in 1990 with a single employee and just $500, Hiller has grown exponentially across the past three decades. Today, Hiller includes over 800 associates and 600 trucks across 17 locations and has responded to over 1.7M service calls across 7 states.

Grenada, Miss. — Milwaukee Tool has, once again, expanded their presence in the United States with the opening of their newest manufacturing facility located in Grenada County, Mississippi. The new location will employ more than 800 people, marks Milwaukee’s eighth location in Mississippi, and is the company’s largest manufacturing facility in the United States to date.

“Our rapid growth continues to accelerate, and this new facility in Grenada plays a crucial role in maintaining our trajectory of excellence in serving our distributor and user partners,” said Scott Griswold, Group President of the Professional Accessories Business Unit at Milwaukee Tool. “This success is the direct result of recruiting some of the best talent around the nation, especially in the state of Mississippi. Our strong people and our unique culture are unlike anything else in the industry.”

Milwaukee Tool invested more than $60 million into the more than 500,000-square-foot facility. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology and manufacturing capabilities, the Grenada location will initially produce Milwaukee’s robust line of accessories, including their legendary SAWZALL® Blades, and will expand into additional product lines over time.

Milwaukee Tool, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, has seen remarkable double-digit growth every year for more than a decade. With a workforce of over 10,000 in the U.S. alone, the company has expanded its footprint both domestically and globally, driven by this consistent growth. In Mississippi, Milwaukee Tool has invested more than $250 million over the last five years and employs more than 4,000 people.

Malco Tools, one of the nation’s top manufacturers of high-quality tools for the HVAC and building construction industries, today announced that its new 7-in-1 C-RHEX® Flip Bit has earned a 2024 Pro Tool Innovation Award (PTIA) in the “Specialty Driver Bits” category.

Now in its 12th year, the Pro Tool Innovation Awards evaluate hundreds of cutting-edge tools from across a wide variety of industries and manufacturers. This year, over 100 different manufacturers and brands submitted nearly 400 products in dozens of categories for a chance to take home a 2024 Pro Tool Innovation Award.

The awarded products were evaluated by a distinguished panel of judges, including contractors, construction business owners, tradespeople and media professionals. Winners stood out for their innovative features, superior power delivery, revolutionary ergonomics, technological advancements, improvements in jobsite safety or exceptional value.

Malco’s 7-in-1 C-RHEX® Flip Bit Series, which come in three integrated driver head options — #2 Phillips (MTP2), #2 Robertson (MTS2) and T25 Star (MTT25), was recognized for its combination of quality and performance. Each model comes with six easy-to-clean C-RHEX® reversible and stackable hex driver sizes (¼” & 5/16”, 11/32” & 3/8”, 7/16” & 1/2”) that stay tight on the shaft during work and while moving around the job site. The driver heads are impact-rated and compatible with any driver.

With seven essential functions all built right into its compact size, the 7-in-1 Flip Bit is a whole toolkit built for on-the-go trade professionals. Its cleanable, reversible and stackable features ensure hassle-free maintenance, compact size and long-lasting performance.

“It’s an honor to earn the Pro Tool Innovation Award for our new 7-in-1 C-RHEX® Flip Bit,” said Rebecca Talbot, vice president of marketing at Malco. “We designed this tool with precision and durability in mind, making Malco the top choice for superior quality and fastening performance on the job site.”

“This marks our 12th year of hosting the PTIA Awards, and each year we witness an increasing level of innovation from both large and small companies,” said PTIA executive director Clint DeBoer. “Every Pro Tool Innovation Award celebrates a product developed by passionate people who, like us, believe the standard we’re used to is no longer good enough.”

For more information about Malco Tools and the 7-in-1 C-RHEX® Flip Bit, visit www.malcotools.com/malco-7-in-1-c-rhex-flip-bit-series.