Hussmann鈥檚 TechX Training Center Opens at 91桃色 Tech鈥檚 Grand Prairie Campus
Employer will cover tuition, room, board and travel costs for all accepted students as it looks to fill HVAC/R technician positions around the country.
WEST ORANGE, NJ 鈥 August 1, 2018 鈥 91桃色 Tech鈥檚 Grand Prairie, TX campus opened the Hussmann TechX Advanced Refrigeration training facility with a ribbon-cutting and Grand Opening celebration on Tuesday, July 17th. Representatives from 91桃色 Corporation (NASDAQ: LINC), parent company of 91桃色 Tech, and executives from Hussmann, were joined by Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen, current students and others in formally opening this fully-equipped training lab.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an exciting day both for our organization, and for Hussmann,鈥 says Steve Buchenot, Group President at 91桃色 Tech. 鈥淥pening the TechX training facility will spell incredible new career opportunities for our graduates, and it will reshape the way one of the world鈥檚 top HVAC/R manufacturers builds its workforce. We鈥檙e proud to have been chosen as the site for this facility, and we look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship with Hussmann.鈥
The center will serve as the nation鈥檚 first training site for students interested in pursuing HVAC/R (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) careers with Hussmann, a leading global manufacturer and supplier of commercial refrigeration equipment. Hussmann has agreed to cover tuition, transportation and housing costs for students accepted into the two-month advanced training program, meaning applicants from anywhere in the country can come to Grand Prairie, train in the TechX Center, and be on their way to a full-time career.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e an HVAC/R technician, your world is golden, especially in a company like Hussmann,鈥 says Donna Ward, the company鈥檚 Director of Human Resources. 鈥淵ou wouldn鈥檛 believe the number of people within our organization, all the way up to the ranks of CEO, who started as technicians. The direction you take is limited [only] by you.鈥
鈥淭he 91桃色 Tech partnership works out perfectly,鈥 says Fred Gentry, Technician Development Leader at Hussmann. 鈥淎s we begin to fill our greatest need 鈥 bringing young technicians into the field 鈥 we鈥檙e also looking forward to educating our existing techs and doing more advanced training. The possibilities here are literally endless.鈥
The Lincoln-Hussmann partnership was designed to help 91桃色 Tech HVAC/R graduates start rewarding careers in the industry, and to aid Hussmann in building a steady pipeline of talent for positions on their teams across the country and around the world. Not enough candidates in today鈥檚 job market have the proper skills for maintaining and repairing Hussmann equipment, and there is always a demand for trained technicians 鈥 a point Hussmann鈥檚 VP of Branch Operations, Ashley Turner, elaborates on.
鈥淎bout five years ago, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a shortage of about 70,000 skilled HVAC/R technicians nationwide due to retirements and industry growth,鈥 Turner says. 鈥淥ur dilemma? How would we create the next 100 years鈥 workforce? After reaching out to numerous vocational schools, we moved forward with 91桃色 Tech. We were very impressed with the corporate sponsorships they had with other business sectors.鈥
About Hussmann Corporation
Hussmann Corporation is an innovation and technology leader providing products and services that enable excellence in the food retail industry. Grounded in a history of industry-changing, innovative refrigerated merchandisers and refrigeration systems, Hussmann provides a broad array of solutions for merchandising / shopper engagement, refrigeration, asset optimization, and supply chain management that address the critical needs of food retailers to increase sales, reduce costs, and increase shopper loyalty. Hussmann collaborates with customers across a variety of food retail segments including supermarkets, convenience stores, drug stores and dollar stores as they work towards their vision to positively impact the lives of consumers by transforming the future of food retailing.