Our Solutions
Our Initiatives
Welcome to R-TRADE
R-TRADE (Refrigeration Technician Recruitment, Advancement, Development, and Education) is a nationwide initiative by the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) that aims to grow, train, and support the skilled workforce our industry needs. As the refrigeration industry faces a widespread transition from hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, there’s a greater need than ever for skilled technicians to keep grocery stores and other essential operations running smoothly—not just today, but for years to come.
Whether you’re a refrigeration technician, an R/HVAC instructor, or someone eager to enter a rewarding and stable field, R-TRADE is your central resource.
Who We Serve
Refrigeration technicians
who want to expand their skillset and get support to remain successful in their careers.
R/HVAC School Faculty
looking to connect with peers and expand their curriculum to meet the evolving needs of the industry.
Students and career seekers
eager to enter the industry or connect with employers.
Our Solutions
R-TRADE takes a three-pronged approach to strengthen the refrigeration workforce and support technicians, educators, and students at every stage.
Recruitment
Increase awareness and support for this career path through youth and adult engagement to build a robust pipeline of refrigeration technician candidates.
Training
Increase access to comprehensive training on refrigeration and advanced refrigeration technologies to train over 14,000 technicians.
Retention
Identify and promote best practices, technologies, and other support mechanisms to help technicians thrive in their careers.
Recruitment
Increase awareness and support for this career path through youth and adult engagement to build a robust pipeline of refrigeration technician candidates.
Training
Increase access to comprehensive training on refrigeration and advanced refrigeration technologies to train over 14,000 technicians.
Retention
Identify and promote best practices, technologies, and other support mechanisms to help technicians thrive in their careers.
R-TRADE Impact Report
R-TRADE is NASRC’s nationwide workforce initiative focused on recruitment, training, and retention to grow a sustainable refrigeration technician workforce. The R-TRADE Impact Report for Year 2 – Fall 2024 through Spring 2026 shares key outcomes from the program’s first 2 years, including technician recruiting, HVACR school support, and natural refrigerant training delivered nationwide.
A Data-Driven Approach
R-TRADE was developed based on a Workforce Development Assessment conducted by NASRC to evaluate challenges and opportunities to grow the technician workforce. The report outlines data-driven findings and recommendations to improve technician recruitment, training, and retention.
Key recommendations from the assessment include:
- Improve pre-recruiting and recruiting strategies
- Focus on retention
- Increase training opportunities
- An industry-wide effort is needed
Our Initiatives
Technical Training Program
Our Technical Training Program is designed to provide comprehensive, vendor-neutral, and customized training to meet the needs of your technicians. NASRC Training Director Rusty Walker will travel to your location and conduct the natural refrigerant training that meets your needs.
Natural Refrigerant Training Summit
The Natural Refrigerant Training Summit series provides free comprehensive training for refrigeration technicians on the latest CO2 and propane technologies. Participating technicians have access to concurrent training sessions from multiple manufacturers and industry experts all in one place.
Faculty Training Program
With support from the SoCal Gas Climate Champions Grant, we launched a train-the-trainer pilot program to provide HVACR school faculty and instructors with compensated online and field training on supermarket refrigeration and CO2 refrigeration systems. The program’s purpose is to equip faculty to expand their curriculum and prepare students to excel in a refrigeration career.
Become a Supporter
The R-TRADE Supporters program is designed for organizations that want to directly support and accelerate solutions to build a sustainable technician workforce. By becoming a Supporter, you are joining a coalition of industry leaders that are collectively enabling the critical solutions delivered under R-TRADE.
R-TRADE Founding Partners
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