The ESCO Institute "Did you Know?" podcast provides HVACR professionals access to reliable, up-to-date, and relevant information, directly from trusted sources. The world of HVACR has been changing at an exponential rate over the last few years; new SEER ratings, flammable refrigerants, and an array of technological advances. Keeping up with all the changes in regulation, manufacturing, refrigerants and how to properly prepare students and technicians has became daunting. Many of our guests are speakers and exhibitors at the HVAC EXCELLENCE National HVACR Education Conference and represent every sector of the HVACR industry. Thanks for joining in!
Behind the Bench: UA Apprentices on Competition, Brotherhood and the Future of the Trade
In this energetic, on-location episode, we head to the 2026 United Association ITP Week and Apprenticeship Competition in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Clifton sits down with Ryan, last year's international competition winner turned mentor, and a table full of fourth- and fifth-year apprentices from across the U.S. and Canada. We dig into what it really takes to compete at the state, regional and international levels, and why this week is as much about brotherhood as it is about skill.We explore:• What the UA apprenticeship competition looks like from the state level all the way to internationals• Why so many technicians make the leap from residential to union commercial and industrial work• The variety and depth HVAC/R offers, from rooftops to grocery to institutional refrigeration• How mentorship and continual training keep technicians from hitting a career plateau• Why AI-driven data centers are becoming the next big opportunity for skilled UA contractorsRyan and the competitors share candid stories about how they found the trade, what keeps them motivated and the advice they'd give anyone feeling stuck or unsure of their next step. Whether you're an apprentice, a contractor or an educator, this episode offers a firsthand look at the passion and community driving the next generation of the trade.#HVAC #UA #Apprenticeship #ESCO #ESCOInstitute #SkilledTrades--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------🎥 This Week’s Video is Brought to You By Our Amazing Sponsors!A huge THANK YOU to this week’s sponsors for supporting education and excellence in the HVACR industry! 👇💨 Daikin Comfort — https://daikincomfort.com (https://daikincomfort.com) / @DaikinComfort — Delivering comfort, efficiency and innovation through advanced HVAC technology.🧰 Service Logic — https://www.servicelogic.com (https://www.servicelogic.com) / @ServiceLogic-CommercialHVAC — The nation’s largest privately held HVAC service company — keeping facilities efficient and reliable.🌎 Hudson Technologies — https://www.hudsontech.com (https://www.hudsontech.com) / @HudsonTechnologies — Leading the charge in sustainable refrigerant management and recovery solutions.📚 iConnect Training — https://iconnecttraining.com (https://iconnecttraining.com) / @iconnecttraining — Providing world-class hands-on HVACR education and training resources for future technicians.🔧 The United Association (UA) — https://ua.org (https://ua.org) / @UAPipeTrades — Building America’s skilled workforce through premier training for plumbers, fitters, welders and HVACR professionals.👏 We’re grateful for their continued support in helping advance the HVACR industry through training, innovation and opportunity!#HVAC #HVACTechnician #HVACTraining #DaikinComfort #ServiceLogic #HudsonTechnologies #iConnectTraining #UnitedAssociation #HVACCommunity #TradeEducation #HVACR #Refrigeration #Technology #FutureOfHVACR #EcoFriendly #ContinuousEducation #StayCurrent
9 Sept 2026
Plumbing Meets HVAC: Heat Pump Water Heaters and the Rise of Plumbing Service
Live from the UA Instructor Training Program, we chat with Joe Fernandez Jr. about the trade that's increasingly overlapping with HVAC: plumbing. We dig into how heat pump water heaters are reshaping expectations for both plumbers and HVAC techs, and why education and service are driving the transition.We explore:• Why heat pump water heaters are already the norm overseas and gaining ground in the U.S.• The consumer pushback around upfront cost, and how technicians can educate customers• How building a plumbing service program from the ground up transformed one UA local from 5% to over 40% service work• Why service work is recession-resistant, and how the 2008 downturn and COVID-19 reshaped training priorities• The growing emphasis on soft skills and customer communication alongside technical training• How the UA is expanding curriculum with branch classes for specialized service skillsJoe shares hard-won lessons from over 30 years in the trade, including how his local rebuilt around service work after the 2008 crash and why "getting comfortable with being uncomfortable" has become a guiding philosophy for training the next generation. Whether you're a contractor, instructor or technician navigating the shift toward electrification and service-based work, this episode offers practical insight into where the trades are headed.#HVAC #Plumbing #ESCO #ESCOInstitute #UnitedAssociation--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------🎥 This Week’s Video is Brought to You By Our Amazing Sponsors!A huge THANK YOU to this week’s sponsors for supporting education and excellence in the HVACR industry! 👇💨 Daikin Comfort — https://daikincomfort.com (https://daikincomfort.com) / @DaikinComfort — Delivering comfort, efficiency and innovation through advanced HVAC technology.🧰 Service Logic — https://www.servicelogic.com (https://www.servicelogic.com) / @ServiceLogic-CommercialHVAC — The nation’s largest privately held HVAC service company — keeping facilities efficient and reliable.🌎 Hudson Technologies — https://www.hudsontech.com (https://www.hudsontech.com) / @HudsonTechnologies — Leading the charge in sustainable refrigerant management and recovery solutions.📚 iConnect Training — https://iconnecttraining.com (https://iconnecttraining.com) / @iconnecttraining — Providing world-class hands-on HVACR education and training resources for future technicians.🔧 The United Association (UA) — https://ua.org (https://ua.org) / @UAPipeTrades — Building America’s skilled workforce through premier training for plumbers, fitters, welders and HVACR professionals.👏 We’re grateful for their continued support in helping advance the HVACR industry through training, innovation and opportunity!#HVAC #HVACTechnician #HVACTraining #DaikinComfort #ServiceLogic #HudsonTechnologies #iConnectTraining #UnitedAssociation #HVACCommunity #TradeEducation #HVACR #Refrigeration #Technology #FutureOfHVACR #EcoFriendly #ContinuousEducation #StayCurrent
3 Sept 2026
Building the Next Generation of Teachers: Inside the UA's Future Instructor Program
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Rob Vilches, training specialist with the United Association (UA), live from the 2026 UA Instructor Training Program (ITP) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. With roughly 2,200 UA instructors on campus and over 400,000 members across the U.S. and Canada, the UA quietly runs one of the largest training operations in the skilled trades.Rob breaks down:• How the UA trains the trainers, turning field technicians into skilled classroom instructors• How the Future Instructor Program identifies and develops leadership potential in fourth- and fifth-year apprentices• Why so many technicians are already "teaching" without realizing it• The culture shift within the trades toward treating apprentices with respect and long-term vision• The UA's Pipe Pals initiative, tackling mental health and suicide prevention head-on with peer supportRob shares personal insight into how the UA is reshaping its culture from the ground up. He emphasizes that great instructors and a healthier industry start with recognizing the mentors already among us. Whether you're a technician who's never thought of yourself as a teacher or an industry leader looking to build a stronger pipeline of educators, this episode offers a powerful look at what's possible when an organization puts people first.Learn more at ua.org (http://ua.org).#HVAC #SkilledTrades #UnitedAssociation #Instructors #ESCO #ESCOInstitute--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------🎥 This Week’s Video is Brought to You By Our Amazing Sponsors!A huge THANK YOU to this week’s sponsors for supporting education and excellence in the HVACR industry! 👇💨 Daikin Comfort — https://daikincomfort.com (https://daikincomfort.com) / @DaikinComfort — Delivering comfort, efficiency and innovation through advanced HVAC technology.🧰 Service Logic — https://www.servicelogic.com (https://www.servicelogic.com) / @ServiceLogic-CommercialHVAC — The nation’s largest privately held HVAC service company — keeping facilities efficient and reliable.🌎 Hudson Technologies — https://www.hudsontech.com (https://www.hudsontech.com) / @HudsonTechnologies — Leading the charge in sustainable refrigerant management and recovery solutions.📚 iConnect Training — https://iconnecttraining.com (https://iconnecttraining.com) / @iconnecttraining — Providing world-class hands-on HVACR education and training resources for future technicians.🔧 The United Association (UA) — https://ua.org (https://ua.org) / @UAPipeTrades — Building America’s skilled workforce through premier training for plumbers, fitters, welders and HVACR professionals.👏 We’re grateful for their continued support in helping advance the HVACR industry through training, innovation and opportunity!#HVAC #HVACTechnician #HVACTraining #DaikinComfort #ServiceLogic #HudsonTechnologies #iConnectTraining #UnitedAssociation #HVACCommunity #TradeEducation #HVACR #Refrigeration #Technology #FutureOfHVACR #EcoFriendly #ContinuousEducation #StayCurrent
Who has been a guest on Did You Know?-The ESCO HVAC Podcast
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Joe Joe the HVAC Man
Louise Kellar
Kate Houghton
Dean Groff
Rob Larson
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
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Podcast Authority Score: 72 / 100
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90
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94
YouTube
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Engagement
85
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