MILWAUKEE, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Controls, Inc. , the global, multi-industrial leader in creating smart environments, today announced the Future Hires Program (FHP). FHP is a workforce development strategy that guarantees jobs for select students enrolled in their first year of the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) associate degree programs at CareerConnect partner schools.
Through its CareerConnect program, Johnson Controls donates resources and tools to partnering schools to simulate the work environment and enhance the HVAC program curriculum. Currently, eight schools participate in the CareerConnect program.
Students selected to participate in the Future Hires Program will receive tuition aid to put toward their second year educational costs. Graduates will work in one of six technical positions with Johnson Controls. Some students may be required to relocate for their position, and will receive a relocation package. Once in their positions, participants can expect additional training to continue their professional growth.
"We hope to attract more talent to the HVAC field by investing in promising students," said Steve Sloane, vice president of North American service operations, Johnson Controls. "Our primary goal is to increase the number of skilled service professionals entering the workforce and joining the Johnson Controls team."
An increased demand to transform buildings into smart environments has contributed to the growing need for service technicians. FHP students will be selected by spring 2008 and are scheduled to join the technical workforce in 2009.
According to employment projections reported by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, the total number of HVAC-related skilled trade positions will jump from 291,000 in 2006 to more than 317,000 by 2016.
Dr. Clyde Perry, division chair for industrial technology at GateWay Community College in Phoenix, stated, "The Future Hires Program is a great add to CareerConnect and will be a tremendous help in marketing technical career opportunities and specifically our HVACR degree program. When an employer is willing to support the students through scholarship money and guaranteed jobs, more students will register for our programs and strive to be a part of the Future Hires Program."
General Parameters for the Future Hires Program
Students must meet attendance and grade point average requirements and finish their degree program within two years. Additionally, participants are expected to give Johnson Controls a two-year work-commitment.
The program provides benefits to partner colleges as well. Up to five students from each CareerConnect school can be selected to participate in the Future Hires Program each year. In addition, partner colleges can leverage the FHP for their own recruiting efforts.
Students enrolled at CareerConnect partner colleges must apply to be a part of the Future Hires Program by January 31, 2008. Application packets are available through key faculty members at partner colleges.
To date, eight colleges across North America have partnered with Johnson Controls through the CareerConnect program: Greenville Tech (Greenville, S.C.), Dunwoody College of Technology (Minneapolis, Minn.), Milwaukee Area Technical College (Milwaukee, Wis.), GateWay Community College (Phoenix, Ariz.), City Colleges of Chicago (Chicago, Ill.), Oklahoma State University- Okmulgee (Okmulgee, Okla.) Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (Edmonton, Alberta) and Hudson Valley Community College (Troy, N.Y.) More colleges throughout North America are currently being considered as candidates for the CareerConnect program.
About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and services we provide to customers. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/.
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