Bradford White Corporation, an industry-leading manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, announces a new partnership with Explore The Trades that aims to bridge the technical talent gap in the service trades and advance positive public awareness of the plumbing and HVAC industry.

Explore The Trades, a nonprofit organization founded in 2005, is bridging the technical talent gap to the skilled trades of plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical by raising awareness of the skilled trades, serving an integral role in lessening the skilled labor gap and acting as a partner to both education and industry with the goal of creating the next generation of technicians.

Through Industry Forward, its signature charitable giving program developed to help advance the industry and raise awareness of career opportunities, Bradford White Corporation is donating $8,000 to Explore The Trades. The contribution supports the creation of 1,000 poster kits showcasing careers in the skilled trades that will be distributed to educators and counselors across North America.

"Over the past generation, awareness of the skilled trades has nearly become extinct," said Kate Cinnamo, executive director at Explore The Trades. "Yet many students, parents and educators lack access to information about the career opportunities in the service trades, manufacturing and distribution that are vital to our communities. We're proud to partner with Bradford White to close that information gap. Their support enables us to serve as the conduit between industry and education so we can engage the audiences who are vital to the growth of the trades."

Bradford White partners with nonprofit organizations and technical schools to educate individuals and families on the importance of the skilled trades and the role that industry professionals provide in the health, safety, sanitation, and infrastructure of their communities through strategic grant funding that supports workforce development training and education programs and industry career opportunities, events, and partnerships.

"We are thrilled to partner with Explore The Trades and expand our reach by connecting with students, parents and educators in an exciting new way," said Rebecca Owens, senior communications manager for Bradford White. "As more teens and young adults consider the financial impact of attending a four-year college, we will continue to advocate for the option of a stable career in an essential industry. Joining with Explore The Trades to pursue our shared mission helps us reach more individuals that may be interested in the plumbing and HVAC fields than ever before."