Bradford White Corporation, an industry-leading manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, announces the renewal of its partnership with Explore The Trades through its Industry Forward program, marking the third consecutive year of collaboration.

As part of this ongoing commitment to workforce development, Bradford White has awarded a $21,185.48 grant to help expand Explore The Trades’ educational outreach and raise awareness of rewarding careers in the skilled trades.

The grant will directly support Explore The Trades’ poster kit program, an initiative launched in 2021 to inspire the next generation of plumbing, HVAC and electrical professionals. Distributed to school counselors, educators and workforce agencies across the United States and Canada, the poster kits show students why the trades matter, helping foster connections between schools and industry employers.

“There is a growing technical skills gap across the trades, making it essential to educate and to raise awareness,” said Neal Heyman, senior director of marketing at Bradford White. “That’s what Explore The Trades is doing, promoting diversity within the residential services field. Our ongoing partnership with them is an investment in the future of the skilled trades workforce.”

As of Sept. 18, 2025, the poster kit program has distributed nearly 4,900 kits to more than 2,800 schools, workforce agencies and home service companies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and four Canadian provinces. Through these efforts, more than 980,000 students have been introduced to educational and career pathways that extend beyond the traditional four-year college track.

“Through our shared mission with Bradford White, we’re expanding awareness of the trades and of vocational training to more students, communities and languages,” said Kate Cinnamo, executive director at Explore The Trades.  “This funding is critical as we develop additional Spanish-language materials and illustrated resources, all with the ultimate goal of seeing more young learners connect with jobs that make a difference.”

Bradford White’s Industry Forward program supports nonprofits and technical institutions in promoting skilled trades careers and highlighting their essential role in community well-being. Through targeted grant funding, the program advances workforce training, education and industry engagement initiatives.

For more information about Bradford White Corporation, visit https://www.bradfordwhitecorporation.com.  

For more information about Explore The Trades, visit https://explorethetrades.org/.