The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors — National Association (PHCC) Educational Foundation announced major updates to its National HVAC Apprentice Contest. The annual event will be redesigned this year, with a focus on creating a competition addressing the skills apprentices need today, plus the technology they can expect to work with in the future.
The PHCC of South Dakota chapter, whose members are spearheading the redevelopment of the contest, will host the first pilot of the redesigned contest at their state convention in February 2026. No HVAC contest will be held in Grand Rapids during CONNECT 2025, but a special HVAC exhibit area previewing the new competition is being discussed for exhibit on the tradeshow floor.
“This strategic pause gives our contractor volunteer experts the time they need to enhance the competition and create new learning opportunities for apprentices,” said Daniel Quinonez, chief operating officer of PHCC. “We’re taking this opportunity to completely revamp the program to better align with the real-world challenges our apprentices face daily and to incorporate the rapid advancement of technology within the HVAC field.”
Patrick Wallner, PHCC Educational Foundation chairman, added, “This redesign will benefit both the industry and PHCC, creating an opportunity for us to take a fresh look at how we can reshape this event for the future. It’s an exciting time to choose a career in HVAC, and we want to ensure this educational experience includes the latest skills and technologies that the next generation needs as they start their journey in the industry.”
A dedicated team of PHCC contractor members, led by Dan Hartman of Wolff’s Plumbing and Heating and Brett Kaltvedt of Midwestern Mechanical, will spearhead the contest redesign. Their goal is to develop a competition format that can be replicated by other PHCC state chapters, creating a scalable model for technical excellence across the industry.
The Foundation will release additional information about the enhanced competition format in the coming weeks, with registration details for the 2026 event to follow. The PHCC Educational Foundation’s National Plumbing Apprentice Contest will occur as planned at CONNECT 2025, Oct. 27-30 in Grand Rapids.