A quality education can provide a leg-up when entering the skilled trades workforce, but the costs related to that education can be high. That’s why Shurtape Technologies, LLC, a leading producer of pressure-sensitive tapes, including HVAC tapes, is on a mission to educate for success.

The company, through its Shurtape® Mission: HVAC, Educating for Success program, is following three students as they navigate through a trade program in pursuit of futures in the HVAC field. Each month, these students are challenged with a themed mission that tests their classroom learnings, as well as their real-life experiences and skills. Upon completion of each mission, students report their findings via blog posts on the Shurtape.com website.

They are also being rewarded for their participation in the program and completion of all 10 missions – each student will receive $5,000 to put toward the cost of their education and help prepare them for future employment.

Shurtape invited HVAC students from Athens Technical College (Athens Tech) in Athens, Ga., to participate in this inaugural program. The Air Conditioning Technology program at Athens Tech is designed to prepare students for a successful career in heating, air conditioning and refrigeration. It takes approximately 1½ – 2 years to complete the coursework, which includes 10 HVAC courses and four non-HVAC courses (Math, English, Computers and Employability).

The three students selected during an application process include:

Daniel Buth: A 50-year-old student who began the program in February 2012 and plans to graduate in September 2015. 

Josue Trejo: A 24-year-old student who began the program in January 2013 and plans to graduate in December 2015.

Matt Morris: A 30-year-old student who began the program in August 2014 and plans to graduate in May 2016.

“Skilled trades, including the HVAC field, face a worrisome future as many skilled workers will be retiring over the next few years, leaving a void of replacements. Trade school can be expensive, but provides the quality educational background that is highly sought after by employers,” said Glenn Walter, product manager for building and construction tapes at Shurtape. “There’s a strong and viable future in HVAC, especially since it’s a career path with year-round demand. Our Mission: HVAC program is designed to highlight the training required to become an HVAC professional and also celebrate these students’ numerous accomplishments.”

Visit Shurtape.com/Blog to see what the students have been up to – and to follow their journeys. For more information about Shurtape HVAC tapes, including the comprehensive line of foil, film and composite tapes, visit Shurtape.com.