Dear Readers,

Thank you for taking the time to visit my project website, which advocates for more support of skilled labor jobs. specifically within the HVAC industry. When I originally proposed this project, I planned to focus on how automation and AI were reshaping the HVAC workforce and how to adapt to these inevitable changes. However, after conducting research and interviewing local professionals, my focus shifted. I now believe the most urgent issue is the growing shortage of skilled HVAC workers. This shortage is due to many factors, primarily the retirement of older generations and a lack of new workers entering the field. Before preparing people for changes caused by automation it is imperative that the HVAC industry has enough skilled workers in the first place. 

This website is aimed to help high school students who are exploring career options, advocates for the HVAC workforce, educators, guidance counselors, and various community leaders who influence both funding and the public perception of vocational and skilled careers. Too often the public is influenced to believe that a four-year college education is the only way forward, it’s time to stop overlooking imperative trade jobs such as HVAC. By targeting and educating this audience I hope to not only change the narrative surrounding blue collar work but also to inform about these essential careers which offer stability and a good livelihood. Lastly, I also hope to help communities take real life action and steps forward to not only strengthen their local infrastructure but economy too.

I believe a website as the medium for this composition will be the most impactful because it is flexible, accessible, and allows for informational multimedia content. This website is able to be updated to stay current with the times and can be very easily shared across social media, allowing this pertinent information to reach the broadest audience. Unlike other mediums, this format will visually emphasize the urgency of the labor shortage while offering information and resources to those looking to support or pursue a career in HVAC. 

My thesis is transparent and concise: We need to invest in and advocate for labor jobs like HVAC because retirements are outpacing recruitment, creating an urgent workforce gap that threatens public infrastructure and economic stability. This project aims to address several points: 1. HVAC is essential to both public health and safety due to Nevada’s extreme climate. 2. Many current workers are nearing retirement age, creating further strain on the HVAC industry. 3) The cultural stigma against blue-collar jobs is actively deterring young adults from entering the trades. 4. Policy, funding, and education systems often prioritize college pathways over vocational routes. 5. Increasing enrollment in HVAC programs benefit not only the individuals in the programs but the economy and community as well.

Overall, this website is designed to raise awareness, shift perceptions, and offer tangible solutions to address the labor crisis. I aim to inspire the next generation to no longer view HVAC, and other trades, as a back up plan but instead as a valuable, lucrative, and respected career path. I hope this composition encourages not only meaningful discussion but measurable action as well, such as increased funding for vocational programs, community partnerships, and an overall bigger outreach to the youth, our future.

Sincerely,
Nicolas Johnson