ServiceTitan will be title sponsor of this year's Elite Trades Championship Series. This event was started in hopes of helping the skilled trade labor shortage. This year, the event will be held Sept. 12-15.
According to the press release:
In 2022, ServiceTitan helped launch the inaugural national championship for HVAC technicians. Last year, that competition hit a whole new level with more than 8,000 qualifiers taking part in the second ServiceTitan HVAC National Championship. Now, in 2024, ServiceTitan is proud to bring the trades together under one umbrella — four trades, four championships … in one amazing week in Florida.
The ServiceTitan Elite Trades Championship Series celebrates the trades with an expansion of ServiceTitan’s support as title sponsor, an expanded qualifying events schedule, and the launch of a new website. The series aims to grow the trades and celebrate highly skilled tradespeople across the country who have traditionally not received the recognition they deserve.
There are approximately 15 million tradespeople in the United States, according to YouGov, yet demand for the trades has skyrocketed due to a shortage of tradespeople.
Now backed by the leading software powering trades businesses, the ServiceTitan ETCS aims to inspire future generations and address this growing labor gap by spotlighting the invaluable contributions and talents of tradespeople through four competitions:
- Third annual ServiceTitan HVAC National Championship
- Ninth annual IDEAL National Championship for Electricians
- Fourth annual U.S. Auto Tech National Championship, driven by Yokohama
- Second annual Plumbing National Championship
“The men and women in the skilled trades are remarkable individuals who power our world through their essential skills and tireless dedication to their craft,” said Scott Mendel, ETCS general manager. “We are thrilled to have ServiceTitan expand its partnership, as they share our commitment to creating a platform that uplifts and celebrates the indispensable skills and contributions of America’s tradespeople.”
About 50 elite professionals and apprentices will be named finalists, receiving an all-expenses paid trip to the ServiceTitan Elite Trades Championship Series at the West Palm Beach Convention Center. The competitions, to be held Sept. 12-15, will showcase their skills in a custom-built arena.
Bragging rights as the top tradesperson in the country for their field and a share of more than $250,000 in cash and sponsor-provided prizes are on the line.
“When people think of competing for hundreds of thousands of dollars at a national championship, they don’t often think about the trades,” said Tom Howard, ServiceTitan’s vice president of customer experience. “The ServiceTitan Elite Trades Championship Series promotes our mission to empower and support hardworking contractors everywhere. We look forward to expanding our role in ensuring tradespeople continue to receive the national platform and recognition they deserve for providing essential services that keep our world running.”
Free Qualifying Events Are Now Open
More than 10,000 entries have been received from skilled tradespeople in the first round of ServiceTitan ETCS event qualifiers, vying for a coveted finalist spot at the annual competitions. Challenges vary by field during each round, leveraging a combination of digital and hands-on tests evaluated for speed, skill, safety, and accuracy.
Qualifiers for the auto and HVAC competitions are open now, kicking off with a free online test that takes as little as five minutes to complete.
» HVAC Round 1 qualifying is open — take the digital test now, with questions provided by NATE. Qualifying continues through June 15.
» Electrical Round 1 qualifying is open — a 5-minute digital challenge with questions presented by IEC
» Plumbing Digital Qualifying is open now through June 2 — with questions provided by Florida PHCC
» Auto Tech digital challenge is open now
The 2023 Competition: Childress Wins HVAC and Plumbing Titles
Craig Childress, a plumber at Boston University, not only won the inaugural Plumbing National Championship in 2023, but he also took home the grand prize in the pro category of the HVAC ServiceTitan HVAC National Championship — becoming the first-ever crossover champion in ETCS history.
“Professionally, this is the most ridiculous thing that’s ever happened to me,” Childress said in a daze of joy as he lugged around the two heavy trophies moments after winning the HVAC competition, his wife Rachel beaming at his side. “This whole thing has just been an amazing experience."
“The awareness (the ETCS) brings to the trades, it’s special,” Childress said. “I’m so thankful.”
The Future of the Trades
The platform’s mission to encourage future generations to join the trades and close growing skilled labor gaps is supported by the return of the second annual ETCS Student and Apprentice Trades Education Summit. The inaugural event welcomed more than 1,000 aspiring trades leaders, who experienced hands-on educational sessions featuring industry leaders, networking opportunities, and a chance to witness the competitions firsthand.
