The heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) industry is the quiet gatekeeper to our personal comfort. We take for granted that we can live and work comfortably year-round in all climates. We take for granted that our perishable foods and medicine will remain properly refrigerated. And we take for granted that the air we breathe indoors is clean and odor-free. But it may be harder to secure these comforts in the future. As the economy hits full stride coming out of the Great Recession, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that the number of HVACR mechanic and installer jobs will increase by 21 percent through 2022, nearly twice the growth of employment overall. Likewise, the Social Security Administration estimates 22 percent of the U.S. workforce will retire during this time. As demand heats up, the supply of trained HVACR talent is not keeping pace and may even be shrinking.
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The BLS estimates there are currently 267,600 HVACR mechanics and installers in the U.S. A new study estimates 115,000 new HVACR workers must be trained by 2022 to meet the anticipated demand.
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North American Plan
Based on the results of the survey and discussions with industry representatives, the HVACR Workforce Development Foundation has developed a North American Plan to close the HVACR skills gap in the United States and Canada. This plan focuses on three broad goals for the industry: training the trainers, establishing uniform accreditation and certifications, and attracting a motivated workforce.
More information: <a href="
http://www.careersinhvacr.org/site/306/Labor-Analysis-Reports" target="_blank">HVACR Workforce Development Foundation</a>
