< PreviousHVAC SMART MART 20 FEBRUARY 2024HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYAD INDEX FEBRUARY 2024 21HVACTODAY.COM HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TM Publisher Dominick Guarino Editor-in-Chief Mike Weil Art Director Judy Marquardt Online Development Director Brian Roseman Circulation Manager Andrea Begany-Garsed To Subscribe to High-Performance HVAC Today: ONLINE: Visit HVACToday.com/subscribe for a FREE digital subscription. PRINT: 1 year/$72; single copy $7. Canada: 1 year/$92; single copy $9. Payable in advance with U.S. funds. Prepaid subscriptions may be sent to: High-Performance HVAC Today, PO Box 147, Avon Lake, OH 44012. Phone: 440-949-1850; toll free 800-633-7058; or visit HVACToday.com/subscribe to order online. Go to ncilink.com/ContactMe with your comments and questions. Advertiser Index Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc. | www.ArzelZoning.com ...................................................... 9 Baker Distributing Company | www.BakerDist.com ........................................................... 20 Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc. | www.northamerica-daikin.com 21 Duct Saddles | www.DuctSaddles.com ..................................................................................... 18 Evergreen Telemetry | www.EvergreenTelemetry.com ........................................................ 2 Lazco Corporation | www.Lazcocorp.com ............................................................................. 18 R.E. Michel Company | www.REMichel.com .......................................................................... 17 Sauermann | www.sauermanngroup.com ............................................................................ 23 TEC (The Energy Conservatory) | www.energyconservatory.com ............................... 13 To Your Success | www.ToYourSuccess.com .......................................................................... 20 TruTech Tools | www.TruTechTools.com ...............................................................................5, 20is more urgent than ever. We need talented people who can understand and work with not just hardware, but the soft- ware that is prevalent in every aspect of HVACR. Systems are less forgiving than ever and must be precisely installed, tested, and adjusted to per- form as designed. New tools, instruments, and software are coming online every day. These tools require advanced learning and skills training. This is not our grandfather’s HVAC industry. We need our new generations to help take us to the next level. I believe many are up for the chal- lenge. Millennials and GenZers grew up with computers and smart devices in their hands since practically birth. These devices are a big part of what they will need to work on products and sys- tems hitting the market today. While all of this will present challenges for our existing infrastructure, particularly in the area of education and training, it also presents signifi- cant opportunities to attract a larger segment of the population. The key will be our ability to ar- ticulate all of the benefits we have to offer – espe- cially as an alternative to a college education. OVERCOMING THE STIGMA The HVAC industry and the trades in gener- al are feeling the pinch more than other service industries. While the facts prove differently, in many circles the trades are still viewed as dead- end low-paying jobs. There have been numerous studies that show how someone entering the HVAC industry at age 18 can out-earn a typical college grad – especial- ly in the first eight years. Plus they’re not saddled with tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt! A ccording to the Bureau of Labor Statis- tics, at the current rate of employment in HVACR, we will only have one in two technician slots filled by 2027 – just three years away! As an industry, we must work together to reverse this course — ASAP. At AHR this year, I had the honor of hosting a panel of leaders from different segments of our industry, including manufacturing, education, and contracting. The panel was titled, “How Do We Address the Workforce Development, Re- cruitment, and Retention Gap?” Video of the dis- cussion will soon be available on AHR’s website at ahrexpo.com. The consensus of the group was not only do we have to work together to attract new people to our industry, but we also need to retain our existing workforce. Of course, there will always be attri- tion due to retirement, but we must work to re- place them while keeping people from leaving for other careers. The real challenge is increasing awareness of the great opportunities in HVACR. What’s tru- ly unique about our industry is the variety of knowledge that is needed. Not only do our field people need to understand the refrigeration cy- cle and combustion, they must be proficient in electrical, controls, plumbing/piping, and air distribution. With the advent of AI in building controls and smart homes, the skills list grows longer. CAREER PATHS ARE KEY Each of these areas can become a career path within our industry. There are many opportuni- ties to specialize in one or more of them. Just in the past decade HVACR technology has advanced significantly and continues to evolve at a break- neck pace. The need for the best and the brightest 22 FEBRUARY 2024HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY ONE MORE THING... By Dominick Guarino Dominick Guarino is publisher of High-Performance HVAC Today magazine and President & CEO of National Comfort Institute, Inc. He can be reached at ncilink. com/ContactMe . It’s Time to Get Serious About Rebuilding Our Workforce This column continues on the website at ncilink.com/0224OMT2.FEBRUARY 2024 23HVACTODAY.COMNext >