UpSmith and ARS/Rescue Rooter Release Case Study on Impact Tackling Skilled Worker Shortages; Industry Leaders Join for Keynote Panel at ACCA Next Level 2023

[INDIANAPOLIS, IN] Today, UpSmith, Inc., a Dallas-based startup solving the skilled labor crisis, and ARS/Rescue Rooter, a national home services company providing heating, air conditioning, indoor air quality, plumbing, drain cleaning, and sewer line services to homeowners across the United States, released a case study highlighting its impact in accelerating new skilled worker careers in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry.

The release comes as leaders from the partners come together for a panel discussion on “Power of Potential” at the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Next Level Conference in Indianapolis, IN, a major industry convening for HVAC companies in the United States.

Headlines continue to sound alarms about the need for more skilled workers: In every corner of the economy, our system is not producing skilled tradespeople fast enough, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting nearly one million reported job openings in U.S. construction and manufacturing in September 2023. Worse yet, Gen Z talent shows declining interest in skilled trades, posing challenges as nearly 1 in 4 construction workers are older than 55 and poised to retire in the next decade..

UpSmith’s technology expands workforce productivity for employers with products for upskilling new technicians, maximizing revenue from the field, and rewarding employers for investments in workforce. In doing so, UpSmith meaningfully improves skilled worker experiences by creating valuable on-ramps for people to join and thrive in the skilled trades.

Earlier this year, ARS/Rescue Rooter deployed UpSmith’s technology platform to source, screen, and hire 14 previously unskilled workers across three ARS branches in Maryland. After a ten-week training program led by ARS/Rescue Rooter, these newly trained technicians deployed to the field with immediate impact. One top performer, an Army veteran with no previous HVAC experience, delivered twice the monthly revenue of average experienced technicians at his branch in under six months.

UpSmith Founder and CEO Wyatt Smith said: “UpSmith is proud to serve firms investing to expand workforce productivity, starting with accelerated training for a new generation of builders. Our partnership with ARS/Rescue Rooter shows the power of potential: By rapidly qualifying previously unskilled workers with high aptitude, ARS is seeing big returns – six months after the program, monthly revenue from their top performer alone is greater than collective sourcing costs for all 14 candidates.”

ARS/Rescue Rooter Vice President of Learning and Development Jeff McLanahan said: “By partnering with UpSmith, we were able to reach a new pool of high potential candidates. Their sourcing and screening technology combined with our in-house training delivered HVAC maintenance technicians in ten weeks, and top performers are delivering revenue impact beyond expectations. In the last year, ARS/Rescue Rooter has awarded over 300 credentials in training skilled workers, and we intend to extend that bet far into the future.”

Moderated by Wyatt Smith, additional panelists at UpSmith’s “Power of Potential” panel discussion at ACCA’s Next Level conference beyond ARS’s Jeff McLanahan include:

• Eddie McFarlane, VP of Training, Development, and Engagement at Sila Services, a Mid-Atlantic and Northeast home services provider of heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical services, said:
  • “At Sila, we believe all tradespeople are on a life-long learning journey. Like UpSmith, we believe targeted training verified by digital credentials can unlock growth opportunities and greater productivity for early career and experienced technicians alike.”
• Stephanie Bothun, Vice President & Co-Founder, Ascend Indiana, an Indianapolis-based non-profit with a mission to make Indiana a place of economic opportunity for all.
  • “At Ascend, we serve as an intermediary between job seekers, employers and educational institutions. By creating programs such as adult and youth apprenticeships and talent pipelines like Catapult Indiana to upskill workers for careers in the advanced manufacturing and logistics sectors, we are providing the opportunities job seekers are looking for.”
• Tony Denhart, Executive Vice President, Workforce and Talent, Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), an entity charged with growing Indiana’s state economy, driving economic development, helping businesses launch, grow, and locate in the state.
  • “At the IEDC, we’re committed to boldly building out our state’s talent pipeline,” said Tony Denhart, Executive Vice President, Workforce and Talent. “That includes making and encouraging bold investments in things like workforce training, apprenticeship models and experiential learning opportunities for our entire workforce, from high school to college to mid-career. As we look to the future of Indiana’s economy, it’s vital we encourage Hoosiers to pursue careers in skilled trades to keep pushing the state forward.”

About UpSmith: UpSmith’s mission is to address America’s skilled labor crisis by expanding the supply of skilled workers. The company expands workforce productivity with technology to recruit and retain skilled workers, boost productivity, and reward employers for their investments in training. UpSmith’s initial focus is addressing the 1.3 million unfilled skilled construction and manufacturing jobs in the U.S. This shortage is poised to triple to over 4 million openings by 2030 at an opportunity cost of more than $1 trillion. Globally the problem is even greater, with an 85 million skilled worker shortfall across industries poised to cost $8.5 trillion by 2030.

About ARS/Rescue Rooter: Based in Memphis, TN, American Residential Services (ARS/Rescue Rooter) is a privately-owned company operating a network of more than 70 locally managed service centers in 24 states, with approximately 7,000 employees. ARS serves residential and light commercial customers by providing heating, cooling, indoor air quality, plumbing, drain cleaning, sewer line, radiant barrier, insulation, electrical and ventilation services.