MILWAUKEE – (April 3, 2008) – In a time when the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry is facing a shortage of skilled workers, Johnson Controls Inc. (NYSE: JCI) has selected Cypress College in Cypress, California to participate in CareerConnect, a national collaborative program dedicated to training the next generation of service technicians.
Through the CareerConnect program, Johnson Controls donates resources and tools to partnering schools to simulate the work environment and enhance the program curriculum. The company’s contributions to Cypress College will include learning materials, instruction from industry experts, faculty development opportunities and community relations outreach. Johnson Controls will team with the school through career fairs, recruiting events and other community initiatives to increase awareness of the career opportunities available to skilled technicians. The market value of the CareerConnect program to Cypress College is more than $10,000 over three years.
Students enrolled in the HVACR technology program at Cypress College are also eligible for the Johnson Controls Future Hires Program. Up to five students from each CareerConnect partner school are selected annually to receive tuition aid and become Johnson Controls employees upon program graduation.
“The school and the students both benefit from this partnership,” said Steven Donley, dean of Vocational Education and Economic Development, Cypress College. “We gain access to new learning materials and some of our most promising students receive an employment offer with Johnson Controls upon graduation.”
The overall goal of CareerConnect is to meet the growing needs of the HVACR industry by increasing the number of skilled program graduates entering the workforce. According to employment projections reported by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, the total number of HVACR-related skilled trade positions will jump from 291,000 in 2006 to more than 317,000 by 2016. An aging workforce and an increasing demand for cost-effective and efficient facilities all contribute to the increasing need for HVACR program graduates.
“These programs allow Johnson Controls to develop a pipeline of recruits to meet the needs of our growing service business,” said Phil Claybrooke, metro general manager, Johnson Controls. “In addition, we shorten our recruiting cycle, reduce our recruiting costs and benefit from increased productivity of new hires.”
The CareerConnect program also exemplifies the company’s dedication to the communities in which it serves. Through its local network of service professionals, Johnson Controls offers a team of experts and a range of service solutions designed to improve facility performance and keep customer facilities running right.
To date, Cypress College is one of nine CareerConnect partnerships that Johnson Controls has established with community colleges in North America. Colleges are evaluated based on school and program demographics including diversity statistics, curriculum and ability to modify it, geographic areas served, enrollments, placement statistics, strategies, and its relationship with Johnson Controls.
About Cypress College
Cypress College’s 14,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. The college offers 58 university-transfer majors, 141 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 51 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. As part of the California Community College System, a Cypress College education costs just $20 per unit — just $60 for a typical, full-credit class. Financial aid and scholarships also are available to qualifying students.
More information about Cypress College is available by calling (714) 484-7000 or by visiting the campus Web site at http://CypressCollege.edu.
About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.
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SOURCE: Johnson Controls, Inc.
CONTACT: Shannon Lippold of Johnson Controls, Shannon.g.lippold@jci.com, (414) 524-7517; or Kelly Nichols, knichols@ckpr.biz, (414) 227-3504, for Johnson Controls, Inc.
Web site: http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/
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