Pioneering new pathways in Manufacturing for STARs
Trane Technologies is leading the charge to build a more sustainable future with innovative climate control solutions for buildings, homes, and transportation. Through its strategic brands Trane®, one of the world’s largest and most widely used HVAC and refrigeration manufacturers, and Thermo King®, which offers sustainable transport temperature control solutions, the company designs and implements innovative decarbonization and energy efficiency solutions to help address the impacts of climate change. And Trane Technologies’ ambition doesn’t stop there: their commitment to economic mobility and opportunity for all is just as fundamental as their focus on sustainability.
Trane Technologies is a founding member of the OneTen Coalition, and has enthusiastically joined the Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign as its first manufacturing partner. “Removing barriers and strengthening our workforce for a more sustainable future is fundamental to Trane Technologies,” explains Amy Volz, Director, Workforce Innovation at Trane Technologies. “Our dedication to creating opportunity for all, through robust programs including the One Ten Coalition and Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign, will enable further enhancement of a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities where we live and operate.”
This commitment, along with an approach rooted in the idea that “one company can change an industry, and one industry can change the world,” means Trane Technologies is already pioneering new pathways to training and career advancement for workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) that can be a model for both sustainable energy practices and sustainable talent pipelines in the manufacturing industry.
Last year, Trane Technologies launched its Workforce Innovation team to further focus on developing partnerships, programs, and pathways for its frontline workers, who represent nearly half the company’s employees. In February 2023, the team launched its first Department of Labor nationally registered apprenticeship program with the goal of expanding access to tomorrow’s world of work. Known as the Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP), the program already supports more than 80 apprentices in 26 states training to be commercial HVAC service technicians — with a projected growth of more than 200 new apprentices in 2024.
“Our technicians compare working for Trane Technologies to playing football in the NFL – so our apprentices are learning from the best of the best,” said Volz. “Through the TAP, we are investing in a robust talent pipeline through a scalable workforce solution.”
Trane Technologies envisions the TAP not just as a strategy to support STARs, but also a legacy program to further strengthen the company’s workforce while supporting the communities in which apprentices live and work for generations to come. To date, the TAP boasts a 100% satisfaction rate among apprentices — a promising sign as the program continues to expand.
As Trane Technologies explores strategies to tear the paper ceiling, the TAP is just one of a growing number of new and innovative ideas. In addition to the creation of the Workforce Innovation team, the company has also updated its tuition reimbursement policy to include tuition advancement – an approach helping to broaden inclusivity of technical certificates and reflecting the powerful impact that non-degreed credentials can play in career advancement. Collectively, these shifts signal Trane Technologies’ commitment to increasing economic mobility, bolstering quality of life, and creating new opportunities for talent for workers and communities around the country.
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