Building the Next Generation of HVAC Pros
When I look at where our industry stands today, I see both incredible challenges and unprecedented opportunities. We’re facing labor, equipment, and refrigerant shortages while simultaneously dealing with increasingly sophisticated equipment and higher performance expectations. This reality is what drove us to create measureQuick in the first place – we needed a better way to train technicians, validate their work, and ensure quality installations.
Education as Our Foundation
Few measureQuick users know this, but before I dove into the world of developing diagnostic platforms and smart tools, I spent years in the classroom as a vocational instructor. That experience revealed something critical: successful education isn’t just about transferring knowledge – it’s about making that knowledge accessible, practical, and immediately applicable.
Those classroom years taught me that young people learn differently than previous generations. They’re digital natives who expect technology to enhance their learning, not complicate it. When a student can see real-time data visualized on a screen while connecting it to the physical system they’re working on, comprehension skyrockets. That insight became a cornerstone of measureQuick’s design philosophy.
I’ve always believed that teaching is in our blood – it’s what we do. Every service call should be a learning opportunity. Every diagnostic session should build deeper understanding. This isn’t just idealism; it’s practical business sense. Better-trained technicians deliver better results, generate fewer callbacks, and create more satisfied customers.
The Power of Industry Collaboration
One of the most rewarding aspects of this journey has been partnering with like-minded industry leaders who share this vision for education-driven improvement. My relationship with Bryan Orr and HVAC School stands out as particularly significant.
Bryan approached the education gap from a different angle than I did – creating accessible, digestible content that technicians could consume anywhere, anytime. Our methods were different but complementary, which is why you’ll find HVAC School links integrated throughout our app. When technicians encounter a concept they need to understand better, Bryan’s clear explanations are just a tap away.
This collaborative approach embraces what we call “edutising” – providing genuine educational value while promoting better practices. It’s not about selling; it’s about elevating the entire industry through knowledge sharing and practical application.
The GRIT Foundation: A New Path Forward
While measureQuick and HVAC School focus on improving education for those already in the trades, we need to address another critical challenge: attracting young people to consider HVAC and other skilled trades as viable, rewarding career paths in the first place.
That’s why I’m excited about the GRIT Foundation – a new charitable organization led by Bryan and other respected leaders in our industry. GRIT (which promotes the growth of Skilled Workers in the Skilled Trades) is taking a hands-on approach to introducing young people to careers in HVAC, plumbing, electrical work, and other essential trades.
What makes GRIT unique is its focus on creating immersive, technology-rich experiences that resonate with today’s youth. These aren’t your grandfather’s shop classes – they’re interactive workshops that showcase how modern trade work combines problem-solving, technology, and hands-on skills.
Summer Camp with Purpose: Seeing GRIT in Action
A few weeks back, Val had the privilege of witnessing the GRIT approach firsthand when the foundation partnered with TruTech Tools and Fast Track Training Lab to host a day camp right in our backyard. This wasn’t your typical summer camp – it was a carefully designed introduction to skilled trades for youth ages 12-17.
The day begins with blueprints—plans for building a wooden box designed to hold copper and PVC piping, along with electrical components. Each student is paired with a mentor who guides them through the process: planning and constructing the box, safely using hand drills and circular saws, and learning proper brazing techniques. But here’s the best part—the student does it all. Mentors are there to talk them through each step, not take over. Mistakes? No problem. They’re part of the learning process. Fix it and try again.
“Grit camp introduces kids to career paths they might never have considered otherwise. You can see the excitement on their faces as they discover hands-on skills that build a sense of empowerment and independence they didn’t have before.” says Valerie.
The collaborative spirit behind this event exemplifies what our industry needs more of – manufacturers, distributors, educators, and contractors coming together to create engaging pathways into the trades. By combining GRIT’s youth engagement expertise, TruTech’s cutting-edge equipment, and Fast Track’s training facilities, they created an experience that made technical concepts both accessible and exciting.
The Path Forward
As we look to the future, I believe our industry’s success depends on continuing to bridge this gap between traditional trade skills and modern technology. We need to:
- Create more opportunities like GRIT Camps that introduce young people to the trades through engaging, hands-on experiences
- Leverage technology to accelerate training and provide guided learning experiences for new technicians
- Build clear pathways for career advancement that incorporate ongoing education and skills validation
At measureQuick, we’ll continue evolving our platform to support both seasoned professionals and newcomers to the trade. We’re committed to partnering with organizations like HVAC School and the GRIT Foundation to create educational ecosystems that attract, develop, and retain talented individuals.
This commitment to education is also why we launched Upskill HVAC – our comprehensive training resource that offers everything from basic fundamentals to advanced master classes. Through Upskill HVAC, technicians can access focused, practical training that builds on the diagnostic capabilities of measureQuick.
The labor challenges in our industry won’t be solved overnight, but initiatives like the GRIT Foundation and educational resources like Upskill HVAC give me tremendous hope. When we combine hands-on experience with smart technology and passionate mentorship, we create a formula for workforce development that can truly transform our industry.
After all, the future of HVAC isn’t just about better equipment – it’s about better-equipped technicians. And from what we saw at last week’s GRIT Camp, that future is looking brighter than ever.
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