Guest Commentary: “Selling” Plumbing/HVAC Careers to Our Youth
GroundBreak Carolinas is always looking for industry experts to weigh-in on important topics such as workforce development, safety and the economy. Kathie Blackwell is director of field recruitment & development for J.A. Croson, LLC, one of the Southeast’s premier mechanical contracting firms with an office in Charlotte and a growing presence in both Carolinas. Blackwell explains how J. A. Croson is clarifying misconceptions about careers in the trades and educating young people about the plumbing profession.
What is J.A. Croson doing to “sell” the Plumbing/HVAC contracting sector of the construction industry?
J. A. Croson, LLC is invested in educating our youth on the industry and clarifying misconceptions that exist about careers in the trades. We currently deliver presentations in high schools, technical colleges, community colleges and other community organizations to educate people about what a career in plumbing truly entails. Providing them with information about the many roles that a plumber can play, clears up the belief that it’s just about unclogging toilets. We also emphasize to students that plumbing offers a secure job; as plumbers will always be in demand, they are not at risk of losing their jobs to machines and plumbing jobs cannot be outsourced for cheaper labor overseas. Providing the public with statistics regarding the average salaries of plumbers and job predictions can also serve as big selling points. J. A. Croson, LLC also participates in career and job fairs across Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.
J. A. Croson, LLC is a third-generation family owned business that was started in Ohio in 1959; celebrating our 61st year in business. We are a plumbing/HVAC contractor that does new construction. Mostly our projects consist of multi-family, hotels, assisted living facilities, condos and parking garages. We cover NC and SC, FL and GA. Our corporate office is in Sorrento, FL – and we also have satellite offices in West Palm Beach FL, Largo FL, and Harrisburg NC.
