In an effort to address the labor shortage in New England’s HVAC, plumbing and electrical trades, a New Hampshire-based specialty contractor has started a yearly trade school scholarship program for students interested in being trained in these specialties.
Heritage Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric recently established a new trade school scholarship program. In December, the firm will be award two $3,000 scholarships to students pursuing a career in one of the firm’s core service areas.
The scholarship deadline is Dec. 1.
Open to students living in New England and New York, the scholarship is designed to help cover tuition costs at a school located in the Northeast that provide training in these specialties.
In a blog post announcing the scholarship, Heritage co-owner Craig Chartier, says “our mission involves so much more than working on wires and pipes and heating systems. As a family-run company founded back in 1986, we believe it’s also about building the best possible team so we can provide the best possible service to the homeowners and the families who we are privileged to serve.”
The post also notes that recent employment date shows that the U.S. workforce will need an additional 175,000 plumbers, electricians and HVAC technicians between now and 2024 to fill new positions and replace existing workers, including 2,250 in Massachusetts and 410 in New Hampshire. A recent Associated General Contractors of America survey also shows that 86% of contractors across the U.S. are struggling to find workers.
“We are feeling the effects of the shortage,” Brad Chartier, general manager at Heritage, says in the blog post. “Providing financial aid for vocation education in these essential trades is something we are passionate about because doing so supports several of our strongly held core principles.”
