ARLINGTON, Va. — The HVACR Workforce Development Foundation (WDF) released three new reports and an accompanying executive summary confirming that demand outstrips the supply of HVACR workers. In particular, technicians and installers are in critical shortage in most areas of the nation.

Due to increased growth in the sector and the ongoing retirement of Baby Boomers, HVACR programs in technical and community colleges are not filling the need to meet current and anticipated demand. Almost half of all technicians and installers will retire in the next decade, according to the new research. HVACR employers are having a difficult time filling positions, especially for refrigeration and HVAC technicians — 44 and 36 days longer, respectively, than the national average of 29 days for similar positions.

“HVACR programs in the United States and Canada are seeking new students, from recent high school graduates to veteran or second-career adults,” said Kari M. Arfstrom, executive director of the WDF. “With HVACR certifications or an associate’s degree, new employees can be assured of a solid middle class job that cannot be off-shored, is high-tech, and offers better-than-average pay.”

The reports detail the opportunities available for HVACR workers and address the unique issues constraining the pipeline for these roles. The analysis of supply and demand concludes with the introduction of a North American Plan to reduce the employment gap.

The executive summary of the reports, The HVACR Workforce: Demand Heats Up as Supply Melts Away, is available on the foundation’s website, www.careersinhvacr.org, in addition to the three reports:

• Supply report – The Next Generation of HVACR Installers and Technicians: What Instructors Are Saying and What Needs to be Done, the first-ever survey of instructors in HVACR programs in the U.S. and Canada.

• Demand report – Heating Up: The Sweltering Demand for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Workers, prepared by Burning Glass Technologies.