SARASOTA, Fla. — One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating®, part of the Direct Energy family of brands, has announced its sponsorship of the One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating Technical Training Center at Suncoast Technical College. The company is fully funding all the tuition, supplies, books, and uniforms of the students in the program. In addition, trainers from One Hour work with the students regularly and students have access to company training online to supplement what they’re learning in the classroom. When the students successfully complete the program, they will be offered a job.

“It’s been great to partner with an industry leader. We were able to customize the curriculum to meet their needs and it’s exciting to know jobs are waiting for them,” said Chuck Drake, program manager for industrial education at Suncoast Technical College.

“The trades are in high demand, and people will always need help with their air conditioning and heating. I didn’t want a job that was going to be obsolete in a few years and this was a great opportunity,” said 23-year-old Will Sivils, a student in the program. Another student, 20-year-old Jessica Johnes is a single mother who used to work in shipping and receiving. She said, “I like the hands-on learning. This is training me for an interesting job where I can make good money and have a career.”

“There is a critical shortage in the skilled trades industry. We are hiring 2,000 people this year to work in our HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and solar businesses,” said Scott Boose, president of Direct Energy Services. “Many don’t realize our technicians work with the latest equipment, have great earnings potential, and an opportunity for a good career. We’re committed to recruiting, training, and employing people who want to join our team.”

Students in this program are scheduled to graduate in early June. Each will be offered a position at a One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating location in Florida. Recruiting is currently underway for the next class starting in late August.

For more information, visit www.onehourheatandair.com.

Publication date: 6/8/2015

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!