Introduction: Why Skilled Trades Recruiting Is Broken
Every HVAC contractor is feeling the pressure.
Finding qualified technicians is harder than ever. Experienced workers are retiring. Younger generations are not entering the trades fast enough. Recruiting ads are becoming more expensive while applicant quality continues to decline.
But according to Ryan Kiscaden, the problem is much bigger than hiring.
The real issue is perception.
In this episode of the Service Business Mastery Podcast, Ryan Kiscaden joins Tersh Blissett and Josh Crouch to explain why the skilled trades recruiting crisis actually begins years before someone ever applies for a job and how storytelling could become one of the most powerful workforce development tools in the HVAC industry.
This conversation shifts the focus away from short-term recruiting tactics and toward something much more important:
Changing how young people see the trades in the first place.
The Skilled Trades Have a Visibility Problem
For decades, students have been encouraged to pursue traditional college paths while careers in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work were often treated as secondary options.
As a result, many children grow up without ever understanding what skilled trades professionals actually do.
They do not see the problem-solving, technical expertise, entrepreneurship opportunities, or the real impact tradespeople make every day.
Instead, the trades are often reduced to stereotypes about hard labor or difficult work conditions.
Ryan points out that by the time many students reach high school, they have already formed opinions about which careers are considered “successful” and which are not.
That makes recruiting much harder later.
Why Storytelling Changes Everything
One of the strongest insights from the episode is that children connect to stories long before they connect to recruiting messages.
You cannot hand a second grader a career brochure and expect it to matter.
But you can tell a story.
That realization led Ryan to create the Next Up Trades children’s book series, which introduces kids to HVAC and plumbing careers through relatable situations and simple storytelling.
Instead of focusing on labor shortages or career pressure, the stories focus on helping people, solving problems, and understanding how homes actually work.
That approach changes the emotional connection children have with the trades.
The Part of HVAC Work the Industry Never Markets
Most recruiting conversations focus on technical skills, pay, or labor shortages.
Very few focus on purpose.
But throughout the episode, Ryan, Tersh, and Josh repeatedly highlight something technicians understand deeply:
The trades are about helping people.
Whether it is restoring air conditioning during extreme heat or fixing a plumbing emergency, technicians often enter stressful situations and leave with the homeowner relieved and grateful.
Tersh describes technicians as “the hero of the story” because they solve real-world problems that immediately improve someone’s life.
That emotional side of the work matters more than the industry realizes.
Especially when talking to younger generations looking for meaningful careers.
Why the Recruiting Crisis Starts Earlier Than High School
Most workforce development efforts begin far too late.
The industry tends to focus on high school recruiting, trade school partnerships, and apprenticeship programs.
But Ryan argues the perception battle is already happening much earlier.
Elementary school children are still curious. They have not fully absorbed cultural assumptions about which careers are respected and which are not.
That is why early exposure matters.
Not because every child will become an HVAC technician, but because it keeps the trades visible as a meaningful option.
How Next Up Trades Makes HVAC Relatable to Kids
The inspiration for the books came during a conversation with Ryan’s brother-in-law, who is a master plumber.
When Ryan asked him to explain plumbing in a way children would understand, it became obvious how difficult it was to simplify the trade into something relatable.
The books solve that problem by translating technical concepts into stories children can connect with.
Topics like water heaters, ductwork, refrigeration, and plumbing systems are introduced through simple, engaging storytelling instead of industry jargon.
That makes the work feel approachable instead of intimidating.
Why Hands-On Careers Matter More Than Ever
Another major theme from the episode is that many students are naturally wired for hands-on learning.
Ryan shares feedback from HVAC trainers who noticed that some of the best technicians struggled in traditional academic environments but thrived when solving physical problems and working with their hands.
The trades offer something many careers cannot:
Immediate results.
You solve a problem.
You see the outcome.
You help someone directly.
That kind of work creates a strong sense of accomplishment and purpose.
Could AI Actually Increase Interest in Skilled Trades?
One surprising point discussed in the episode is how artificial intelligence may ultimately strengthen interest in skilled trades careers.
As AI automates portions of office work and digital tasks, younger generations are beginning to realize something important:
HVAC and plumbing work cannot easily be replaced by software.
A system still needs someone physically present to diagnose issues, install equipment, and troubleshoot real-world problems.
That makes skilled trades careers increasingly valuable in an AI-driven economy.
The Recruiting Strategy Most Contractors Are Missing
Most contractors focus almost entirely on immediate hiring needs.
They run job ads, increase pay, or search for technicians already in the industry.
But Ryan emphasizes that true workforce development requires long-term thinking.
Some contractors are already using the Next Up Trades books as part of community outreach by donating them to schools, libraries, and educational programs or handing them out during service visits.
That approach changes the conversation from simply needing workers to becoming part of educating and inspiring the next generation.
That creates a completely different type of community connection.
How ACCA Is Supporting Skilled Trades Education
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) partnered with Ryan to help expand educational outreach around skilled trades careers.
The initiative includes discovery kits, educational lesson plans, classroom activities, and school outreach programs.
This reflects a growing realization across the industry:
If HVAC companies want more technicians in the future, they need to invest earlier in awareness and education.
The Bigger Lesson for the HVAC Industry
This episode reveals something deeper than a labor shortage.
The skilled trades do not just need better recruiting.
They need better storytelling.
Children are constantly exposed to careers presented as exciting, respected, and meaningful. HVAC and plumbing are rarely included in those conversations despite offering stable incomes, entrepreneurship opportunities, and highly valuable skills.
That lack of visibility shapes the workforce pipeline long before recruiting begins.
And changing that narrative could completely reshape the future of the trades.
Conclusion: The Future of Skilled Trades Recruiting Starts With Storytelling
The HVAC industry cannot solve its recruiting crisis through hiring ads alone.
The real challenge is helping younger generations understand why the trades matter in the first place.
Storytelling changes perception.
It helps children see HVAC and plumbing not as backup careers, but as meaningful professions built around problem-solving, helping people, and creating real impact.
And if the industry wants a stronger workforce tomorrow, that conversation needs to start today.
FAQs
What is skilled trades recruiting?
Skilled trades recruiting refers to attracting workers into careers like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work through education, outreach, and workforce development efforts.
Why is the HVAC industry struggling to recruit technicians?
The industry faces labor shortages due to retiring workers, lack of early career exposure, and long-standing social pressure toward traditional college paths.
How does storytelling help skilled trades recruiting?
Storytelling helps children and young adults emotionally connect with careers in the trades by making the work relatable and meaningful.
What is Next Up Trades?
Next Up Trades is a children’s book series created by Ryan Kiscaden to introduce kids to HVAC and plumbing careers through educational storytelling.
How can HVAC contractors support workforce development?
Contractors can support schools, educational programs, libraries, and community outreach efforts that introduce young people to skilled trades careers.
