HVAC Career Exploration

Completed Pilot Programs and Demo Projects Healthy Homes Pilot

About the Pilot

Along with the rest of the nation, Wisconsin has seen a decrease in individuals seeking careers within the HVAC industry. HVAC Trade Allies are critical to Focus on Energy’s ability to deliver energy savings to Wisconsin residents. The HVAC Career Exploration pilot aims to leverage Focus on Energy’s relationships with Trade Allies and schools to encourage students to explore a career in HVAC.

Project Timeline: September 2021 – December 2022
Customer Segment: Residential

Pilot Objectives:

Understand what considerations should be made when working with educators to promote energy-related careers.
Determine if partnering Trade Allies and educators is an effective way to deliver messaging to students.
Identify and develop effective resources for educators to promote energy-related careers.

Single image hvac career exploration Adobe Stock 14219332

Key Outcomes:

The pilot kicked off by creating an advisory panel of Tech Ed teachers and HVAC Trade Allies. The purpose of the advisory panel was to gather feedback on marketing collateral needed to promote career opportunities within the HVAC industry. With this feedback, the team developed an HVAC Career Exploration video, an HVAC career overview document, and an outline for an in-class presentation. Focus on Energy partnered with the Wisconsin Tech Ed Teachers Association (WTEA), which consists of Tech Ed Teachers across the state, to promote these resources via its association newsletter. The Association extended an invite to Focus on Energy to attend their annual conference where the HVAC career resources were also promoted. The Department of Workforce Development learned of these resources and extended an invitation to Focus on Energy to participate in high school career fairs.

Schools worked directly with an HVAC Trade Ally to schedule the in-classroom presentations. Seven schools partnered with an HVAC Trade Ally to complete presentations to 17 classes and about 220 students.

Lessons Learned:

Outreach: Approaching teachers early in the year (at the start of the Fall and Spring Semesters) offers more time to incorporate an in-classroom presentation to their curriculum. Outreach could be more effective if a video was available showing an in-classroom presentation to address questions from teachers and Trade Allies.

Perceived Value: Teachers need to see the connection to the content to make it worthwhile to bring it to their students and incorporate it into their curriculum. Trade Ally support is more likely from those who have experienced challenges hiring staff or recognize the importance of bringing more individuals into the trades.

Expansion Opportunities: The resources developed were effective at helping students understand potential career opportunities. Feedback indicated this type of information would be desirable for the solar industry as well. Focus has since created materials related to solar career exploration.

Recommendations and Next Steps

Focus on Energy has opted to discontinue this pilot, however, the resources developed remain available and are still promoted when possible.

Questions?
Contact the Future Focus team at futurefocus@focusonenergy.com.