WAUKESHA, Wis. — GPS Education Partners and Gustave A. Larson Company announced a strategic partnership to build industry talent pools using a youth apprenticeship model designed by GPSEd. The program will match student workers with HVACR jobs and expose them to career pathways in the industry, all while earning their high school diploma.

The partnership began with a pilot program, launched October 2018, in which a typical student’s day is divided between classroom learning and mentored, work-based training. Students participating in the apprenticeship model will rotate between The Larson Company’s West Allis, Wisconsin facility and working as a service technician apprentice with some of its contractor partners. This allows students to explore different work environments and business cultures, as well as take on different roles and responsibilities.

“The HVACR industry is facing a growing skills gap driven by an aging workforce, the rising employability gap, and youths who are just not aware of careers in the industry,” said Andrew Larson, chairman and CEO of The Larson Company. “Partnering with GPS Education Partners will help accelerate HVACR careers among the young student population by providing a future workforce to help fill our talent pipeline and a pipeline for our business partners.”

Publication date: 2/26/2019

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