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There is a significant shortage of skilled labor throughout the nation, and the construction industry is no exception. This shortage of skilled trades leads to schedule delays, higher prices, potential quality issues, and safety concerns as there are fewer workers to complete a particular job. Several key factors are contributing to the labor shortage plaguing the trades. Skilled workers are moving to less labor-intensive professions and industrial work has been devalued in favor of office-based professions. An aging workforce means that highly skilled workers are retiring, taking their valuable experience with them, and are not being replaced by younger workers. In addition, the push for students to pursue a four-year college degree, and the closing of vocational schools, makes it harder for those wishing to work in the trades to receive quality education and apprenticeship experience.
A turnaround is possible, as future workers begin to appreciate the value and speed of a two-year technical degree. These degrees typically offer paid apprenticeships and higher wages than many realize. In fact, trade jobs in construction, plumbing, and HVAC are among the highest-paying today, with annual mean wages of $83,880 for carpenters and $93,080 for plumbers.1 There are also efforts to bring more women into the trades, the opportunity to use cutting-edge tools and technology, and the tangible reward of working with your hands while using critical-thinking skills.
PERC Partners with Trade Schools, Offers Grants
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is investing in the trades. Through workforce development programs, PERC is helping to ensure that there are propane professionals available in the future. Builders can be confident that the propane industry remains viable.
PERC partners with 160 different schools around the country to offer a propane-specific curriculum for trade professionals. They have been awarding education grants to technical schools since 2020. PERC’s HVAC Technical School Grant Program awards education grants to high schools, technical schools, vocational schools, and community colleges if they teach an approved propane curriculum and use propane equipment for lab instruction. In 2023-2024, PERC selected 40 schools from 23 states to receive the grant.
The program offers one of two training curriculums. Under the condensed, eight-hour Overview of Propane Distribution Systems training, schools receive a $5,000 grant to purchase propane-specific lab equipment that includes a propane regulator cutaway; pressure measuring devices; a liquid leak detector solution; gas pipe, tubing and fittings samples; a propane hydrometer; personal protective equipment; and one propane gas appliance. As part of the program, they are also gifted a propane regulator test and demo training board.
Under the full, 80-hour HVAC and Plumber Technical Training, programs receive a $10,000 grant to purchase all of the above equipment, plus two additional propane appliances and venting components. This curriculum is designed to provide current information, practices, and procedures to educate HVAC and plumbing professionals on how to design, install, test, and operate propane appliances and gas distribution systems in a safe and efficient manner.
Institutions apply for the grant level that matches their school’s grade level. High schools can only apply for the $5,000 PERC Overview of Propane Distributions Systems program, while community colleges, vocational schools, and technical schools can apply for either program. Whichever level of funds they are awarded dictates the curriculum they are to use.
Instructors then attend a Train the Trainer event hosted by PERC to receive hands-on equipment training and familiarize themselves with the curriculum. There is also a local propane advisor partnered with each program, who often works for a local propane company. The dedicated advisor provides guidance, assists with technical questions, and signs off on all installed propane appliances and equipment to ensure they meet safety standards.
Partner with PERC, Train Future Tradespeople for Success
Choosing to partner with PERC and offering your HVAC students rigorous training in installing propane systems could open doors to an important profession and give them valuable hands-on experience. This relationship ultimately helps to bridge the skills gap that has been widening nationwide. The dedicated propane advisor partnered with each school is an important aspect of this bridge-building program, as they foster relationships with schools and future professionals, offer insight about the industry, and provide valuable guidance about propane equipment and applications. While applications for the 2024 program are currently closed, please consider applying for the 2025 program. Learn more about the HVAC Technical School Grant Program and apply here.
