Waukegan High School and Johnson Controls prepare future workforce with new HVAC lab

MILWAUKEE, Feb. 26, 2025 – Waukegan, Ill. High School, in partnership with Johnson Controls, hosted an open house yesterday to showcase the school’s new state-of-the-art heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) training lab. The new lab provides students with practical experience and the opportunity to earn college credits, preparing them for successful careers in HVAC and related fields and marking a significant milestone in addressing current and future workforce needs.

Attendees had the opportunity to tour the new lab, speak with current students and witness live demonstrations of the students’ coursework. It also featured remarks from Waukegan High School staff, Johnson Controls Regional Vice President Yollande Tchouapi and a current student, all emphasizing the importance of hands-on training and investment in the next generation of skilled professionals, something that is critical considering the nationwide shortage of skilled building technicians.

The HVAC field, along with other skilled trades, faces a significant demand for trained professionals, exacerbated by an aging workforce and the increasing complexity of building technologies. Illustrating this, 45% of HR professionals in a recent report said they consider skilled trades positions “very difficult” to fill.

The event highlighted the real-world skills students are learning in the lab and marked the end of the school’s month-long celebration of Career and Technical Education Month.

“We are thrilled to partner with Johnson Controls in creating this invaluable learning environment for our students,” said David Marks, CTE academic chair at Waukegan High School. “The HVAC training lab equips our students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in a rapidly growing and changing industry.”

This initiative aligns with Johnson Controls’ dedication to developing a skilled future workforce and addressing the skills gap in technical education.

“Investing in the future workforce is crucial for building resilient, innovative, and sustainable communities,” said Tchouapi. “By providing students with real-world experiences and exposure to cutting-edge technologies earlier on in their school careers, we can help nurture interest and prepare them for successful careers in the industry.”

Johnson Controls is committed to growing hands-on learning experiences and fostering future talent in the fields of engineering and technology. Through its Community College Partnership Program, the company is on track to donate up to $15 million by the end of 2026 to expand access to educational programs in the HVAC, fire, security and digital disciplines. The company also recently opened a second Johnson Controls Academy, doubling training capacity to tackle the national skilled building systems technician shortage.

Media Contacts:
Melissa Talbott
Manager, Public Relations, Global Products
Cell – 989.859.1550
melissa.talbott@jci.com

About Johnson Controls
At Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI), we transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play. As the global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, our mission is to reimagine the performance of buildings to serve people, places and the planet.

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