GateWay Community College and sustainability leader Johnson Controls celebrate National Skilled Trades Day on May 1 by emphasizing their commitment to training the workforce of tomorrow. As industries evolve and technology advances, the demand for skilled tradespeople like HVAC-R technicians continues to soar. Collaboratively, GateWay and Johnson Controls are committed to graduating more HVAC-R students to address Phoenix's skills gap and talent shortage due to the retiring workforce.
In addition to hands-on classroom training, GateWay helps place these students in part-time employment, full time employment, and internships to give them further experience in the industry. “We aim to ensure students can establish relationships with industry employers, ensuring their success in today’s growing workforce,” said Bruce Martz, HVAC-R Faculty Member. “Each semester, we invite local HVAC-R contractors, engineering firms, parts and equipment distributors, temporary employment agencies, and manufacturers to GateWay’s HVAC-R classes to present their company's open positions.”
“Our Phoenix-based employees take immense pride in supporting projects that enrich the local community, much like this partnership with GateWay Community College,“ said Richard Slack, Market General Manager, Johnson Controls. “This partnership will help students gain exposure to skilled labor trades and give them a pathway to a successful career in an exciting and evolving industry with plenty of opportunity for growth.”
Through the partnership, which includes a $100,000 renewable grant from Johnson Controls, students gain hands-on experience in these dynamic careers and the cutting-edge technologies they’ll use to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges – emissions reduction, healthy indoor air quality, building safety, and more. Johnson Controls employees in the surrounding area will also work with GateWay to mentor and encourage students to join the skilled trades workforce. Through relationship building with industry professionals, students can ask mentors questions and get a glimpse into the promising career trajectory following training completion.
To learn more about GateWay’s HVAC program, visit gatewaycc.edu/hvac.