From Tech to Pro in 8 Weeks: Fast-Tracking the Future of the Trade

“People First is our No. 1 core value as a company, and nothing is more important to that goal that ensuring the next generation of HVAC techs is fully trained to support the growth of Sila Services and the industry more broadly,” says Jason Rabbino, Sila Services CEO. “We’re investing in exceptional people who can leverage the training, support and empowerment of Sila University to build long-term careers in the HVAC trade. This fuels Sila Services’ growth by tackling the critical national issue of a growing gap in skilled labor with a best-in-class development program.”

Project LiveFire is an initiative under Sila University's umbrella, notes Edward McFarlane, chief learning and development officer at Sila. “We did an internal pilot in Fall 2024, and this was our first official launch,” he says. “We have 40 locations, so we have a lot of needs. Because everyone graduates with a job, they’re interviewed by their sponsor company, the place they are going to work. The successful candidates are in school for eight weeks. Four days a week are in a classroom, then one day a week, they go back to the sponsor company and get to know the culture of the team and get hands-on experience.”

Accelerated Learning

The skilled trades sector is under immense pressure. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, HVAC technician demand is projected to grow 6% by 2032, yet trade school enrollment has declined by more than 10% over the past decade.

Project LiveFire was designed to provide an accelerated, accessible solution to this challenge, welcoming candidates regardless of prior HVAC experience, removing cost barriers, and training them for high-demand careers.

“What makes the Project LiveFire different is that students are paid to train. Sila University ensures there is no tuition and no debt,” McFarlane notes. “By the end of eight weeks, they’ve earned multiple certifications, gained real-world experience, have a full-time job waiting for them, and are confident they are ready to start a great, long-term career.” 

Each Project LiveFire graduate earns three certifications: EPA Universal 608 Certification, NATE (North American Technician Excellence) CPH5 Certification, and OSHA Safety Training.

Classes are intentionally capped at no more than 14 students to allow for extensive hands-on training, real mentorship, and access to cutting-edge tools, including virtual reality simulations that mirror field conditions and Bluetooth-enabled toolsets.

“We looked for the highest standards in the industry,” McFarlane says. “OSHA 10 is a great course when it comes to quantifying and certifying how much someone knows. And when it comes to how we want systems installed and maintained, well, ACCA literally wrote the book. Full disclosure, I’m a member of the board of NATE and ACCA, so it made it easy to facilitate. We also look for technology solutions, so we have a partnership with Interplay Learning. There are some incredible resources out there written by some industry people. Between the lesson structure and the texts that are available from ACCA and NATE, it’s easier to put that together than just sort of shooting in the dark. Basically, we looked at what skills and abilities make the happiest and best technicians with the highest customer satisfaction. Then, we reverse engineered it — what to they need to know to become that?”

Creating a Technician Pipeline

Graduates from Project LiveFire’s inaugural cohorts move directly into full-time roles with their sponsor companies after graduating from Project LiveFire.

“After graduation, we give them thousands of dollars’ worth of tools — we have a very simple, minimal payroll deduction,” McFarlane explains. “When you think about a class like this, one of the things I love about it is that it opens up the road to people that might not traditionally have economic access to education — it’s expensive to go to trade school. Then you have all these tools. We wanted to find the best talent and then build a structure that took away as many of the barriers as we could.

“You’ve got to show up, you’ve got to be physically capable,” he adds. “There are certain things we cannot change, but outside of that, let's make this as accessible as possible. That's why we paid them to go through it. We feel like we've found some really talented individuals.”

Because the trainees have been spending time at their sponsor companies, reporting for work after graduation won’t be a culture shock or cold plunge, because they have already gotten to know their manager and some of their teammates.

Additionally, while the trainees are paid to go through training, once they are on the job, they immediately get a raise. “There is a pay progression,” McFarlane adds.

Thirty-one-year-old Q. Grier is a graduate of the pilot Project LiveFire program. She was previously a Sila warehouse associate for two years. “I joined the LiveFire training program because I really didn't see much career growth staying in the warehouse long term. I went to Orleans Tech for HVAC, and I wanted to capitalize on the opportunity to learn more about the ins and outs of the trade.”

Grier says she believes the LiveFire program is very necessary for both experienced and inexperienced technicians. “John (the instructor) did an awesome job teaching every course and making sure we understood the lessons, even if that meant going over something more than once. Personally speaking, John really gave me a huge boost of confidence. I would highly recommend this training to anyone who is interested in working with their hands and learning something new every day. If you want to make a decent and consistent living, this is the way to get started.”

After graduating, Grier’s position with Sila King of Prussia location is a helper on installations and duct cleaning. “My managers are very aware how eager I am to learn it all from install, service, duct cleaning, and more. So far, they have been giving me plenty of opportunities to learn from all sides of HVAC, which I really appreciate and enjoy.”

She adds that it’s also good to know the company wants her to be successful and believes in her abilities.

Scaling the Impact

Following its successful launch in the MidAtlantic region, Sila is expanding Project LiveFire to its three additional regional training centers: New York/Connecticut, New England, and the Midwest.

McFarlane anticipates two classes at each location twice a year.

“This is about more than jobs, it’s about economic mobility and ensuring trade leadership for the next generation of techs and customers,” Rabbino added. “We’re proving that with the right training, the right support, and the right values, Sila can contribute to building the trades by creating the talent and the jobs that our industry and customers need.”