Academy of Craft Training - Central Alabama

HVACR Careers Are Heating Up Across Alabama

Did you know that HVACR (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration) continues to be one of the fastest-growing skilled trades in America?

From commercial office buildings and hospitals to schools, manufacturing facilities, and industrial plants, HVACR professionals play a critical role in keeping Alabama’s economy moving. As demand for skilled technicians continues to grow, so do the opportunities for young people looking for a rewarding, high-paying career path.

At the Academy of Craft Training, students in our HVACR & Mechanical Systems program gain hands-on experience using industry-standard equipment while learning directly from experienced professionals. Through NCCER-based training, industry partnerships, internships, and real-world jobsite exposure, students graduate with the skills and confidence needed to enter the workforce.

The skilled trades offer more than just a job—they offer a career with opportunities for advancement, leadership, entrepreneurship, and long-term financial success.

Whether you’re a student exploring your future, a parent looking for career options, or an industry partner seeking skilled talent, HVACR is a trade worth considering.

Read more in our latest ACT blog:

HVACR Career Opportunities Growing Fast

Why Are HVACR Career Opportunities Growing So Fast Right Now - Academy of Craft Training HVACR career opportunities are growing fast as HVACR job demand rises across Alabama. Learn why the industry is expanding and how HVAC technician training can lead to stable skilled trades careers.

Today, the Academy of Craft Training pauses to honor and remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

Their sacrifice secured the freedoms we live under, work under, and build upon every day.

As we train Alabama’s next generation of skilled craftsmen and women, we do so with deep gratitude for those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that future generations could live free, work hard, build strong communities, and pursue opportunity.

This Memorial Day, we remember the cost of freedom — and we honor those who paid it.

We remember. We honor. We are grateful.

Craft training is not just important — it is essential to the future of construction.

A recent NCCER report reinforces what we see every day at the Academy of Craft Training: structured, hands-on training helps students and future craft professionals become safer, more productive, more accountable, and better prepared for the jobsite.

As an NCCER training partner, ACT uses industry-recognized curriculum built for construction, by construction. Our students are not just learning about the trades — they are developing real skills in commercial construction, electrical, HVACR/mechanical systems, welding, plumbing, and pipe systems fabrication.

For Alabama contractors, workforce development cannot be left to chance. The next generation of craft professionals needs training, mentorship, high standards, and direct connection to industry.

That is exactly why the Academy of Craft Training exists.

We are proud to partner with NCCER and Alabama’s construction industry to help build a skilled, safe, and career-ready workforce for the future.

Senate passes industry-to-classroom workforce tax credit bill HB517 would create tax credits to loan industry professionals as CTE instructors and establishing workforce teaching certificates.

🚧 Progress Update from ACT-Central Alabama 🚧

Things are moving fast at our future ACT-Central Alabama campus, and Russell Construction is making great progress.

What started as open warehouse space is quickly taking shape into classrooms, labs, and hands-on training areas for our first cohort of students this August.

Soon, this facility will be filled with students learning real-world skills in:

🔨 Commercial Construction
⚡ Commercial Electrical
❄️ HVACR & Mechanical Systems
🛠️ Welding, Plumbing & Pipe Systems Fabrication

We are excited to see this campus come to life and even more excited for the students, instructors, industry partners, and communities who will be part of building Alabama’s next generation of skilled craftsmen.

August will be here before we know it.

Thee momentum is real. The demand is growing. And Central Alabama is answering the call.

We’re proud to stand alongside our team at Academy of Craft Training Birmingham as they continue to build strong pathways into the skilled trades. What’s happening across Alabama right now isn’t a trend — it’s a shift in how we prepare the next generation of workforce.

At Academy of Craft Training – Central Alabama, we’re bringing that same mission to life right here in our region.

Starting August 2026, our inaugural class will begin hands-on training in:

🔨 Commercial Construction
⚡ Commercial Electrical
❄️ HVACR & Mechanical Systems
🛠️ Welding, Plumbing & Pipe Systems Fabrication

This is more than education — it’s a direct pipeline into real careers with real companies, right here in Central Alabama.

Our students won’t just learn about the trades — they’ll train alongside industry partners, build real skills, and step into the workforce ready to contribute on day one.

The need for skilled craftsmen has never been greater.
And Central Alabama is stepping up.

📣 To students, parents, and industry partners — now is the time to get involved.

👉 Learn more: https://academyofcrafttraining.

5 Reasons Electrical Construction Training Can Set You Up for Long Term Success - Academy of Craft Training Electrical construction training can lead to stable careers and long term success. Learn why electrical construction is a smart path in the skilled trades.

Where Education Meets Employment: The Power of Job-Ready Training - Academy of Craft Training Discover how job-ready training connects education to real careers in the skilled trades. Learn how hands-on experience, workforce development training, and career-ready trade education prepare students for success.

This is exactly what we’re seeing across Alabama.

The demand for skilled trades is real—and it’s not slowing down.

From commercial construction projects to electrical, HVAC, and mechanical systems… the need for trained, reliable craftsmen continues to outpace the available workforce.

That’s not just a challenge.
👉 It’s a call to action.

At the Academy of Craft Training, we’re stepping in to fill that void.

🔧 Training high school students in real-world environments
⚡ Teaching industry standards—not just theory
🏗️ Partnering directly with contractors and industry leaders
👷 Creating a pipeline of career-ready professionals

We’re not waiting for the workforce to catch up.

We’re building it—right now—across Central Alabama, Birmingham, North Alabama, and Mobile.

The gap is real.
The opportunity is real.
And the next generation of craftsmen is already on the way.

"In Alabama, commercial construction accounts for more than 6% of the state’s GDP and creates tens of thousands of jobs. This robust industry is the engine powering Alabama’s growth, expansion and success across all sectors from healthcare and transportation to multifamily homes.

However, a recent decline in the construction workforce has resulted in a labor shortage for the next three to five years, spurred by Biden-era inflation combined with an aging and retiring workforce.

These circumstances have increased construction costs, prolonging work periods, and disrupting workforces across our state and the entire country, as witnessed by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

With stunted labor, the country will continue to see increased housing prices and a shortage of competent workers and contractors. The overall cost of business will also climb due to these factors, impacting the entire network of commercial development projects," ABC of Alabama writes.

Link in comments to read full piece

We don’t just talk about the workforce shortage.
We build the workforce.

At the Academy of Craft Training, students don’t sit in a classroom all day learning theory…

They step into a real-world training environment.

🔧 Hands-on instruction
⚡ Industry-driven curriculum (NCCER)
🏗️ Built alongside contractors—not separate from them
👷 Real experience before graduation

This is where students learn what it actually takes to succeed in the trades.

Electrical. HVAC. Welding. Construction.

Not someday.
Not after college.
👉 Right now.

We’re creating a direct path from high school to high-demand careers—while building the next generation of Alabama’s workforce.

This is training with purpose.
This is opportunity with direction.

This is the Academy of Craft Training.

This is what opportunity looks like.

Students.
Employers.
Real conversations that turn into real careers.

What you’re seeing here isn’t just an event — it’s the moment everything changes for these students.

At the Academy of Craft Training – Central Alabama, this is exactly what we’re building toward.

➡️ Skilled trades that matter
➡️ Industry partners who are hiring
➡️ Students ready to step into the workforce

And the best part?

We’re just getting started.

Our inaugural class is coming.
Our partnerships are growing.
And one year from now… this will be happening right here in Central Alabama.

Stay tuned. It’s coming fast.

🔨⚡❄️🛠️

From Training to Employment: How ACT Graduates Start Working Right Away - Academy of Craft Training Discover how ACT helps students move from training to employment through hands-on learning, industry partnerships, and job-ready construction training that prepares graduates to start working right away.

One year from now… this will be us.

Watching ACT – North Alabama’s Industry Day is a powerful reminder of what’s ahead.

In 2027, Academy of Craft Training – Central Alabama will host our first Industry Day, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s coming.

This is what it’s all about:
✔️ Students stepping into real career opportunities
✔️ Industry leaders investing in the next generation
✔️ A direct pipeline from classroom to career

Our inaugural class is already putting in the work — and this is where it leads.

The future of Alabama’s workforce is being built right now.

Let’s get to work. 🔨⚡❄️🛠️