Signing ceremony honors graduates of PPA technical training

Emmanuel “Manny” Genao Jr. and Tyler Hoke celebrated their graduation from the HVAC & Energy Professional Program of the Pennsylvania Petroleum Association Technical Education Center (PPATEC) with a signing ceremony highlighting their new careers. Genao signed an employment agreement with Modern Comfort Systems, and Hoke signed with Leffler Energy.

Tyler Hoke, left, and Manny Genao Jr. graduated from the HVAC & Energy Professional Program of the Pennsylvania Petroleum Association Technical Education Center. (Photo: PA Petroleum Association)

PPATEC, an arm of the Pennsylvania Petroleum Association (PPA), offers hands-on technical training solutions for the HVAC and energy industry. The PPA is a not-for-profit trade association representing more than 400 energy stakeholders. PPATEC is a postsecondary entry-level career training institution licensed by the State Board of Private Licensing Schools.

“In order to build a good team, it’s important to partner with a program that offers quality training that we can build on,” says Mike McCurdy, general manager of Leffler Energy. “PPATEC does a great job in giving students comprehensive, hands-on training in all the important technical areas of our industry. It just makes sense for us to bring one of these graduates on board.”

In 2022, PPATEC launched its HVAC & Energy Professional Program, a 10-week, hands-on curriculum tailored to provide the skills needed to secure a job in the HVAC and energy industry. Since then, graduates of the program have routinely enjoyed multiple employment offers, often graduating on a Friday and going into a new career the following Monday.

Pennsylvania faces a shortage of more than 2,000 HVAC technicians – jobs with an average annual salary well above $50,000, according to Ted Harris, PPATEC’s executive vice president. PPATEC created its entry-level training program to help PPA members fill that employment need.

“We’re glad to play a role in preparing these – and other – young men and women for careers in an in-demand field,” Harris says. “We’re also confident that this will be just the first of many such ceremonies for program graduates as they join the workforce.”

Candidates have multiple opportunities for financial support, the association notes. Veterans can use GI Bill benefits to defray the cost of the program. PPATEC also routinely offers scholarships to candidates. In addition, PPA members have an opportunity to sponsor a candidate entering the program.