Beginning in May 2021, the inaugural Next Generation Scholarship set out to help HVAC students gear up for their careers. Presented in partnership with Housecall Pro, WD-40 Brand, and Truewerk, 20 recipients earned $2,500 for tuition and tools, a year’s supply of WD-40 Brand products, a Truewerk workwear system, and a year-long Housecall Pro ‘Essentials’ subscription. The scholarship program supports Trade Academy’s goal of securing a sustainable future in the trades for the next generation of tradespeople.
The program had almost 200 student applicants from nearly 100 trade schools and associations and brought out a diverse group of future technicians, many of whom were just beginning their education. The recipients were recognized and celebrated in an award ceremony on January 18th, hosted virtually by Housecall Pro. Visit the scholarship page to relive the ceremony, or read on to meet and learn about the HVAC leaders of tomorrow.
Meet the recipients:
Alexandre Inamasu
Nutley, NJ • Eastwick College
His instructor, Dilip Akaloo, shared, “Alexandre showed his prowess very early by showing how acutely responsive he is by his command of mathematics and its use in calculations using ‘Ohm’s Law’.”
Andrew Kalkofen
McAllen, TX • South Texas College
His instructor, Jorge Martinez, said, “Andrew is a great student in the classroom and often takes the leadership role when working with classmates on lab assignments. He took the initiative to enroll in the HVAC program internship course after the first semester and has continued working since while also attending school. His field experience is demonstrated in the great quality of work he does in class and lab. Andrew will have a great career in the HVAC field.”
Asa Spade
Houston, TX • Training Center of AC & Heating
His instructor, Shane, said, “Asa is a sharp young man. He was always involved and volunteered. He is going to make a great technician.” Asa defines his work to be like an artform and finds pride in honing his craft.
Bartholomew Hahn
Broadview Heights, OH • Cuyahoga Valley Career Center
His instructor, Daniel Hunter, said, “Bart is an overachiever. Mechanically talented. Leader in the classroom. Bart is always willing to help the students in one way or another to complete their tasks. He is one of the most helpful people in the classroom. Many of the students look up to him.”
Brandon Brooks
Middleburg Heights, OH • Polaris Career Center
His instructor, Mark Mizak, said, “Brandon decided to take this class because his wife and him own ice cream stores. He wanted to learn how to service equipment in their business. His appreciation for HVAC evolved into an interest in making it a full-time career.”
Brandon Hiesler
Gainesville, TX • North Central Texas College
His instructor, Mike Brucia, said, “Brandon is a hard working young family man with a can-do spirit and a friendly disposition. He always takes constructive criticism as an opportunity to build better skills.”
Collin Lalonde
Corpus Christi, TX • Del Mar College
Collin values “learning the science of something, running your own business, building relationships with people, helping others, and making money.”
Damian Phillips
Groveport, OH • Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical
His instructor, Rob Lane, said, “Damian is a good student. He studies hard, works hard. He does really well in the classroom and lab. He’s excellent out in the field as well.”
Dustin Rhodes
Edinburg, IL • Lincoln Land Community College
His instructor, Bob, said, “I have been in this trade for 45 years. I have been teaching for the last 10 years. Dustin Rhodes is exactly the type of person this trade needs. Always on time, never misses a day, a hard worker who learns as much as he can to be the best technician. You made the right choice, picking Dustin.”
Genova Izguerra
Chicago, IL • HVAC Technical Institute
Genova talked about what inspires her by saying, “My dad really inspires me. He’d fix furnaces, ACs, his car, anything off YouTube videos, but I’m the type that loves going to school. Amazingly enough my dad decided to join me! We’re going on this journey together and I love that. It’s refreshing to learn new content, too.”
Jesus Carrasco
Chicago, IL • HVAC Technical Institute
Jesus shared his values - “Being able to provide a service that brings joy to others. I take pride in knowing that I am able to help others with providing a service that is essential to the comfort and safety in the homes of others. I am also filled with excitement due to the fact that this career is something that brings pride to my family. They are proud to know that I am doing something positive with my life and helping make the world a safe and better place.”
John Boston
Nutley, NJ • Eastwick College
His instructor, Dilip Ackalloo, said, “John has shown that he is firmly focused on his change of career and is proven to be one of the ‘hot shots’ in the class with his ability to troubleshoot in the lab classes. He is a motivating factor in the classroom by showing his eagerness to learn, backed up by his strong line of questioning sequences and issues in circuitry.”
Josiah Stout
Denton, TX • North Central Texas College
His instructor, Mike Brucia, said, “Josia is a smart, hardworking dual-credit high school senior with a bright future. He’s always seeking opportunities to complete tasks ahead of schedule and looks for additional ways he can contribute.”
Justin Kappelman
Tallahassee, FL • Lively Technical College
Justin values “being the most knowledgeable technician that I can be so I can spread the knowledge to the next generation. Regardless of who it is, I will always learn from someone and will try to teach anyone who actually finds enjoyment in learning new things.”
Kevin Clouse
Gainesville, TX • North Central Texas College
His instructor, Mike Brucia, said, “Kevin is a manager in the logistics industry transitioning to a new career in service. Inquisitive, he asks excellent questions, always seeking to develop greater understanding.”
Mack Merritt
Miami, FL • Robert Morgan Technical Center
His instructor, Francesco Diaz, said, “Mack is a very dedicated student who has excelled in the training and is always eager to learn more. He accepts challenges with a positive attitude. Mack is an asset to the HVAC field.”
Oscar Torres
McAllen, TX • South Texas College
Oscar values education and says, “I’ve always had an interest in learning. In the HVAC/R field, there is an endless amount of learning to be done. There are niches that any technician can focus on. Anyone can become a master on a specific skill that is valuable to the field. That idea is what excites me about my future in the field. Something will grab my attention that will excite me and lead me to develop skills and knowledge that will be used to provide solutions and help people.”
Samuel DeVito
Minneapolis, MN • Dunwoody College of Technology
His instructor, Bill Bobick, said, “I have witnessed a person focused and involved in both, his own, and his classmates’ growth and education. Sam is the kind of student that will ask questions just before they appear in the curriculum. He has a mindfulness to his process and a hunger to continuously learn. That hunger is so important to any trade, but especially to HVAC. I am very proud of Sam DeVito and look forward to witnessing his success in the HVAC trade.”
Stephen Boersma
Brecksville, OH • Cuyahoga Valley Career Center
His instructor, Daniel Hunter, said, “Stephen purposely chose the most challenging exercise by requesting the hardest sheet metal project. He is always pushing himself to complete projects efficiently while adhering to high standards.”
Paul Gillette
Middleburg Heights, OH • Polaris Career Center
His instructor, Mark Mizak, said, “Paul had worked all around the world in a variety of different fields. He was in the nautical field working on various boats ranging from trade to scientific research. He wanted to find a field where he could have a career with job security. He enjoys working with his hands and wanted to work in an industry that had both mechanical and electronics as part of the discipline.”
The skilled trades are the backbone of the economy and this nation. Trade Academy, along with its founding sponsors Housecall Pro, WD-40, and Truewerk, are dedicated to playing their part in filling the labor shortage and empowering the next generation of technicians and business owners. Visit www.tradeacademy.com to set up an employer profile, job seeker profile, or learn more about the scholarship today.