The skilled-trades labor shortage is generating more investment in training.

The PHCC Educational Foundation has awarded a record 80 scholarships totaling approximately $200,000 in 2026.

It is the largest scholarship class in the foundation's history.

Most Recipients Are Entering the Trades Directly

Of the 80 recipients:

52 are apprentices or trade-school students

and

28 are college students studying fields connected to plumbing and HVAC.

New sponsorship from Bernzomatic and Zoeller Pump helped increase the number of awards.

The Labor Problem Is Expensive

Contractors consistently rank skilled labor among their biggest barriers to growth.

An HVAC company can generate plenty of leads and still struggle to increase revenue if it cannot hire technicians to perform the work.

That is why manufacturers, distributors and contractors increasingly support:

apprenticeships,

technical schools,

scholarships,

and in-house training.

The Takeaway

$200,000 will not solve the national skilled-trades shortage.

But a record scholarship year is another sign the industry understands the problem.

The next HVAC growth constraint may not be customer demand. It may simply be finding enough qualified people to perform the work.