The home heating oil industry has a long and proud history, and Fuel Oil News has been there supporting it since 1935. It is an industry that has faced many challenges during that time. In its 77th year, Fuel Oil News is doing more than just holding
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www.fueloilnews.com | FUEL OIL NEWS | NOVEMBER 2015 35 REPORTS ESTIMATE OVER 100,000 NEW HVACR MECHANICS AND INSTALLERS NEEDED IN NEXT SEVEN YEARS DUE TO GROWTH AND RETIREMENTS The HVACR Workforce Development Foundation released three new reports and an accompanying executive summary confirming that demand outstrips the supply of heating, ventila- tion, air conditioning and refrigeration employees. In particular, mechanics and installers are in critical shortage in most areas of the nation. ASHRAE is a member of the Foundation. Due to the increased growth in the sector and the ongoing retirement of Baby Boomers, HVACR programs in technical and community colleges are not filling the seats available to meet the current and anticipated demand. HVACR employers are having a difficult time filling positions, especially for refrigeration and HVAC technicians, respectively 44 and 36 days longer than the national average of 29 days for similar positions. "HVACR programs in the U.S. and Canada are seeking new students, whether you are a recent high school graduate, veteran or second-career adult," said Kari M. Arfstrom, executive director of the HVACR Foundation. "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." Almost half of all mechanics and installers will retire in the next decade according to the new research, but post-secondary HVACR programs are not filling the seats needed to support these jobs. The reports detail the opportunities available for HVACR workers and address the unique issues constraining the pipeline for these roles. Concluding the analysis of supply and demand is the introduction of a North American Plan to reduce the employment gap. An executive summary of the three reports, The HVACR Workforce: Demand Heats up as Supply Melts Away, is available on the HVACR Foundation's website www.CareersinHVACR.org. The summary is based on the three commissioned reports: 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. Heating up: The Sweltering Demand for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Workers, pre- pared by Burning Glass Technologies. A Labour Market Investigation of the HVACR Sector in Canada, by Prism Economics and Analysis. EMERSON'S SENSI™ WI-FI PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT NOW WINK COMPATIBLE Emerson, a leader in the thermostat and HVAC controls industry, announced that its Wi-Fi thermostat is now compatible with Wink home automation systems. The Sensi thermostat gives homeowners remote access to its settings from smartphones, tablets or PCs, while the thermostat's Wink compatibility offers consumers even more convenience by enabling universal connectivity with other home smart products such as lights, locks and garage doors – all from one Wink app. Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat users save up to 33% in energy costs by easily adjusting their thermostat schedules around their busy lives. "Smart thermostats are one of the most tangible use cases for consumers starting out on their smart home," said Brett Worthington, general manager at Wink. "Integration with Emerson brings a leader in HVAC onto the Wink platform and furthers our mission to make the smart home accessible to everybody." The Sensi thermostat is Emerson's first entry into the Wi-Fi thermostat market, a category which is expected to grow to $600 million globally by 2018, according to ABI Research. The research HVAC/HYDRONICS N E W S "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." —Kari M. Arfstrom, executive director of the HVACR Foundation