United States. The HVAC/R Workforce Development Foundation released three new reports and an executive summary confirming that demand exceeds the supply of employees for refrigeration, air conditioning, ventilation and heating. In particular, mechanics and installers are in short supply in most areas of the country.
Due to the increased growth of the sector and the continued retirement of Baby Boomers, HVAC/R programs in community and technical colleges are not sufficient to meet the anticipated demand. Industry employers are having difficulty getting workers, especially refrigeration and HVAC technicians, taking respectively 44 and 36 days longer than the national average of 29 days for similar positions.
"HVAC/R programs in the United States and Canada are looking for new students, whether you are a recent high school graduate, a veteran, or a second-career adult. With HVAC/R certifications or an associate's degree, new employees can be assured of a solid middle-class job that can't be taken to another country, is high-tech and offers a better-than-average salary," said Kari M. Arfstrom, executive director of the HVAC/R Foundation.
Nearly half of all mechanics and installers will retire in the next decade according to the new research, but post-secondary HVAC/R programs are not filling their quotas to support these jobs. The reports detail the opportunities available to workers in the industry and point out the limitations to these roles. The Conclusion of the Supply and Demand Analysis is an introduction to a Plan in North America to reduce the employment gap.
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