Ep 7: Workforce Development and SkillsUSA

Ep 7: Workforce Development and SkillsUSA

This year, one of the priorities of AHRI’s Chairman of the Board is to strengthen workforce development opportunities. With the Baby Boomer retirement cliff looming, the U.S. is on track to experience a huge drop off in the number of skilled technicians to work on HVACR equipment. Keep in mind, that will all happen while the country is already experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, making the problem even worse. One of the strongest voices in advocating for trade schools and technical education is Skills USA. It is a workforce development program with chapters in thousands of middle schools, high schools, and post-secondary institutions across the country. Its premier event -- the Skills USA National Leadership and Skills Conference -- is held every June in Atlanta, Georgia. During that week, thousands of students, teachers, and industry representatives gather for skills competitions, educational sessions, and a Tech-Spo, which is what they call their expo floor! AHRI is proud to participate as an exhibitor to help connect people with the resources that allow them to pursue a valuable career in the trades. Our guest today is Betz Rother Duffield, AHRI’s Manager of Member Services, to tell us more about AHRI’s recent workforce initiatives and her trip to Skills USA! Learn more about the Rees Scholarship Foundation: https://www.ahrinet.org/scholarships-education/ahri-rees-scholarship-foundation Apply for a Rees Scholarship: https://www.ahrinet.org/scholarships-education/ahri-rees-scholarship-foundation/apply

Ep 6: ASME Boiler Appeal Explainer

In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into one of AHRI’s more technical topics: codes. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code is under consideration for a scope change that would remove three key exemptions from the scope of section 8 of that code. This change would have a huge impact on our industry, driving up the cost and wait time for maintenance and repairs of essential equipment. AHRI Senior Director of Codes Tom Deary explains the specifics of this issue, what’s at stake, and how AHRI is preparing for the next step in this appeal process. Read AHRI's white paper here [https://www.ahrinet.org/system/files/2024-08/AHRI%20ASME%20BPVC%20White%20Paper%20-%20Rev%201%20-%20Final.pdf].

Ep 5: Policy Symposium Preview

Like we told you in our State Summit episode, the spring months are often some of the busiest for our government affairs team! Our signature advocacy event – the Policy Symposium – is only a few weeks away. Every year, this meeting happens in the heart of Washington, DC and serves as an opportunity for all of our member companies to connect directly with congressional offices and key regulators. The first day focuses on education, with panels from key legislative and regulatory players and remarks from keynote speakers at breakfast and lunch. On the second day – AHRI heads to Capitol Hill en masse for dozens of visits with members of Congress and their staff. There are a lot of moving parts to this event, and I’m excited to introduce you to several members of our policy team who help to bring them all together! Register for the Policy Symposium here. The Capitol Hill visit training webinar recording is available on the members-only dashboard, under the Government Affairs/Advocacy dropdown menu: https://www.ahrinet.org/user/member-dashboard [https://www.ahrinet.org/user/member-dashboard]

Bonus Mini-Episode: AHRI Certification Mapped Ratings Explainer

AHRI’s Certification program has been around for almost 90 years. Over the decades, it has expanded to include more products and to offer more services – like regulation compliance verification in the U.S. and around the world. HVACR and water heating products are complex, and one of the most valuable things AHRI Certification offers is performance assurance, not only to homeowners, but to consulting engineers and architects. In the latest episode of the Making Life Better podcast, AHRI Senior Vice President of Global Services Henry Hwong, joins host Regan Spencer to discuss how AHRI provides that assurance as products and systems evolve to serve more markets and become more efficient. Learn more about AHRI Certification: https://www.ahrinet.org/certification Visit the AHRI Certified Directory of Certified Product Performance: https://ahridirectory.org

Ep 4: State Summit Preview

At AHRI, the spring months are often some of the busiest for our government affairs team. Our two signature advocacy events – the State Summit and the Policy Symposium – take place in April and May. In this month’s episode, we’re unpacking the AHRI State Summit, which – you guessed it – focuses on state-level advocacy efforts. It ping pongs between two of the most ambitious state legislatures in the country - New York on the East Coast and California on the West Coast. It’s a two-day agenda - with one day focusing on panel sessions that address issues specific to the state and the second day spent traveling up to the state capitol for meetings with state legislators and their staff. While the State Summit is one of our smaller events, it serves as a valuable opportunity to connect directly with the state lawmakers and regulators that are responsible for introducing, voting on, and implementing measures that can have huge impacts on the way our industry does business. This year, AHRI staff and members will be traveling to Sacramento, California in near-record numbers to share our industry’s priorities in the state! I’m excited to introduce you to several members of our policy and regulatory teams to share what goes into this event and why it’s so important. Resources from this episode: AHRI State Summit: https://www.ahrinet.org/2026-ahri-state-summit [https://www.ahrinet.org/2026-ahri-state-summit] AHRI Policy Symposium: https://www.ahrinet.org/2026-policy-symposium [https://www.ahrinet.org/2026-policy-symposium]  General advocacy web page: https://www.ahrinet.org/advocacy [https://www.ahrinet.org/advocacy]