GRIT Foundation aims to tackle skilled trades gap

Bryan Orr, host of the popular, technician-focused podcast HVAC School and president of Kalos Services, recently announced the launch of the ‘GRIT Foundation,’ aimed at bolstering the next generation of skilled tradespeople.

Why it matters: While the HVAC industry projects over 40,000 annual job openings through 2033, only six percent of U.S. high schoolers plan to pursue careers in the skilled trades, despite higher earnings compared to average college graduates, the foundation noted.

What’s happening: The foundation’s flagship initiative, ‘GRIT Camps,’ enables contractors, schools, and manufacturers to host hands-on day camps within their communities to introduce students of all ages to the trades. 

• GRIT works with contractors interested in hosting camps on planning, designing the day’s activities, and promotion.
• Contractors typically host camps at their own shops, providing tools and equipment for activities like brazing and circuit building.
• While contractors can run camps independently, the GRIT team can attend and supply basic tools like tape measures and gloves if needed.

Zoom in: The foundation, co-founded by Orr and SkillCat CEO Ruchir Shah, operates as a nonprofit and has already hosted a 20-student camp in Central Florida, with six more confirmed across the country, GRIT’s executive director Leilani Orr tells Homepros.

• It also accepts donations from anyone who wants to contribute to its mission without hosting a camp. Donations go directly to supplies for GRIT Camps.

What they’re saying: “We inspire the next generation through hands-on, contractor-led day camps… [which] provide students the chance to solve real-world problems using hand tools and equipment,” Leilani Orr adds. 

The bottom line: GRIT aims to do its part in addressing the growing labor gap by creating formative experiences for students at a young age.

• “By creating hands-on learning experiences, we help [students] develop real-world skills while fostering curiosity and confidence in the trades,” the foundation says. 
• GRIT aims to host 100 camps in 2025.