Falls Church, Va. — As part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s America250 celebration honoring the achievements, contributions and sacrifices of American workers, Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) Vice President Tony Bertolino represented the plumbing and HVAC industry at a Great American State Fair event on June 30 on the National Mall.

During a June 30 panel discussion moderated by Acting Secretary of Labor Keith E. Sonderling, Bertolino discussed the future of the skilled trades and the growing need to strengthen the plumbing and HVAC workforce through apprenticeships, career and technical education and workforce development.

Bertolino, co-owner of Rob Bertolino Plumbing & Heating, Virginia Beach, Va., spoke of the value of considering the skilled trades as a path to long-term success.

“Choosing the trades is a successful way you can have a career that is lucrative and rewarding,” Bertolino said. “My company’s plumbers are able to buy houses right now; they are not worried about the economy. What they do for a living is not going to be taken over by AI. They are not going to be shut down by anybody else.”

He also highlighted one of the industry’s greatest advantages: apprentices can begin earning immediately while building valuable skills.

“You don’t have to go to school first and then get the job. Typically, an apprenticeship program is paid for by your employer, so you do not have the burden of tuition. You ‘earn while you learn.’ You get the job and you make a reasonable living—in most cases a really good one—while you’re taught a trade.”

Reflecting on the nation’s 250th anniversary, Bertolino underscored the essential role skilled tradespeople have played in protecting public health and safety and improving Americans’ quality of life.

“Fortunately, Americans have no idea what it’s like to deal with no clean water and no sanitary systems,” he said. “The American workers have done a good job ensuring that people have a totally comfortable way of life in our country. I am really proud of what we’ve done.”

Fellow panelist Roger Wakefield echoed Bertolino’s message, noting that nearly everything people see in the built environment—from homes and schools to roads and businesses—exists because of the skilled trades.

Looking to the future, Bertolino noted that tradespeople have been essential to America’s growth and will remain so. “Plumbers—and I will use ‘plumbers’ because I am one—have been here since the beginning of this country, and now we’re here celebrating the 250th anniversary,” Bertolino said. “We’ve been part of building this nation from the beginning, and we will continue to be long into the future.”

PHCC thanks Roger Wakefield for helping make this opportunity possible and for his continued support of the skilled trades.

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About PHCC
The  PHCC National Association, formed in 1883, provides legislative advocacy, education, and training to approximately 3,500 plumbing and HVACR businesses and 65,000 technicians. Members of PHCC have access to a wide variety of services designed to increase their professionalism, grow their business, and improve profitability. For more information about PHCC, visit  phccweb.org.