Bradford White Corporation, a prominent American manufacturer of water heaters, boilers, and storage tanks, announced a $30,000 grant and the donation of ten 65-gallon AeroTherm heat pump water heaters to Pennsylvania’s Energy Coordinating Agency today (ECA).
The grant will directly benefit ECA’s Philadelphia Youth Pathways to Clean Energy Careers program, which introduces low-income minority students to clean energy career paths as part of Bradford White’s Industry Forward initiative, which supports workforce development and public awareness of plumbing and HVAC industry careers.
Students in the program will receive 100 hours of classroom and hands-on training in five different career paths, including commercial HVAC installation, HVAC maintenance and repair, and heat pump water heater installation and maintenance.
The program will assist them to improve their technical abilities, obtain necessary certificates, and advance them toward job placement.
Bradford White training professionals will contribute their experience to ECA employees and students throughout the year as part of this workforce education award by delivering in-person and online training to further develop their knowledge and supplement the instruction provided by ECA.
“The skilled trades offer a variety of rewarding career opportunities that many rising jobseekers aren’t aware of,” said Rebecca Owens, Bradford White’s senior manager of communications.
“These jobs provide competitive salaries and benefits, as well as opportunities for advancement, job security, and job satisfaction.” We are honored to collaborate with ECA and support their efforts to guarantee that kids from all backgrounds have full access to these potentially life-changing opportunities.”
Rich-Tomkins, the company’s manufacturer’s representative, also delivered 10 Bradford White AeroTherm heat pump water heaters to ECA.
Two of the units will be used in ECA’s heat pump training lab, and the remaining eight will be distributed to deserving families through the Philadelphia Water Heater Emergency Fund.
The heat pump lab will expand its efforts to educate local residents about this product, preparing them for future conversions to this energy-efficient technology in Philadelphia.
“It’s a privilege to partner with Bradford White, the industry leader on this technology, and to receive this generous support from their Industry Forward program,” said Steve Luxton, CEO of ECA.
“These monies will train underprivileged Philadelphians to install AeroTherms and open doors to high-paying plumbing and HVAC employment. Every week, we receive phone calls from low-income seniors and families who are without running water. This assistance will help satisfy that demand while also assisting the city in meeting its electrification goals.”
