ICYMI we're hosting an onboarding webinar series to help you create the training program your business needs.

Check out the highlights of the first webinar and be sure to register for the upcoming sessions.

What does it mean to treat in-house training like PTO?

Why you need to be the CRO of your training program!

Job Board

Looking for a job as an apprenticeship for maintenance? Apply with Harbor Group Properties today!

New Rochelle, NY: Maintenance Apprentice | Dayforce Jobs

Elmsford, NY: Maintenance Apprentice | Dayforce Jobs

Phoenix, AZ: Maintenance Apprentice | Dayforce Jobs

New Courses

Interview Skills (1.5 hrs)

Practice making strong first impressions, expressing strengths with confidence, and using professional tone, body language, and written communication. The course also covers digital communication tools and habits, helping technicians build trust with employers and customers alike.

HVAC Career Path Intro (1.5 hrs)

The realities, pathways, and opportunities within the HVAC industry. This course covers daily work conditions, career progression options, and the importance of building strong foundations before EPA certification.

Meet us at Installar Show in NYC!

We’re excited to be joining the Installer Show on March 18th and 19th. We hope to see you there!

InstallerSHOW is bringing its first US edition to the Javits Center, NYC, on 18–19 March 2026, co-located with New York Build Expo.

Find us at Booth 2141 Register Now →

What's in the News?

💻 For AI to survive, more trades workers needed

Help Improve SkillCat!

Take a 5 minute survey on our course content.

🧰 Join us in NYC for the InstallerSHOW

We’re excited to be joining the Installer Show on March 18th and 19th. We hope to see you there!

InstallerSHOW is bringing its first US edition to the Javits Center, NYC, on 18–19 March 2026, co-located with New York Build Expo.

Find us at Booth 2141

NEW YORK'S LARGEST CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN SHOW!

• 500+ world class speakers across 14 conference tracks sharing their expertise and insight on the industry.
• AIA CES accredited workshops.
• 14+ conference tracks including new topics of International Business, AI & Digital Construction, Tall Buildings & Skyscrapers and more...
• Government Hub connecting suppliers with Government agencies to learn how they can get involved in upcoming projects and win new business.
• More exclusive networking events than ever before for every part of the AEC industry.
• An expanded Ambassador Programme including women & diversity in construction alongside sustainability ambassadors and real estate gurus.
• 500+ exhibitors showcasing the latest services, products and innovations transforming the industry
• 40,000+ registered visitors from contractors, architects, civil engineers, realtors, developers, government and construction professionals

February

💡Join us at the Installer Show on March 18th and 19th

💪 Empowering Kids Through GRIT Camps

We’re excited to highlight the growth of the GRIT Foundation, a new non-profit organization focused on getting kids excited about the skilled trades! Our mission is to empower the next generation of skilled trades workers and encourage skilled trades opportunities to fill the ongoing skilled labor gap.

If this sounds like an opportunity you’re interested in, we’re looking for help: ​

• CONTRACTORS: Host a GRIT Camp at your facility! Give back to your community, build a pipeline of apprentices, and get some great press.
• MANUFACTURERS: Donate equipment or resources for each GRIT Camp.
• TEACHERS: Volunteer to help teach and support a GRIT Camp near you.

Hi there,

We've shipped some major improvements to the B2B platform. A few of these are game-changers.

Big Wins

Shareable Portfolio Links
Every employee now has a "View Portfolio" button on your dashboard. Click it and their public portfolio opens in a new tab, making it way easier to check certifications and share progress with managers or clients.
​

Note: Employees need to be on the latest app version for this to work properly.

Smarter Billing for Adding Employees
When you add new employees, you'll now see exactly what it costs before confirming. You can choose to pay immediately or add it to next month's invoice. No more surprise charges.
​
​

Plan Ahead with Seat Management
During signup, you can now set how many seats you want upfront, even if you're not filling them all right away. Gives you breathing room to onboard people without scrambling to adjust your plan.

Other Updates

Regional Breakdown in Billing Portal
If you're managing employees across different regions, you can see the invoice breakdown by regions

Menu Rename
"Manage My Subscription" is now called "Billing Details"

Pro Tier Learning Plans
Pro Tier accounts now have access to different learning plans than Basic/Growth tiers. This lets us offer more specialized content based on your plan level.

Questions?

Hit us up if you run into anything weird or have questions about these changes.

Hi there,

We've been squashing bugs and smoothing out the rough edges. Here's what's different in 7.0.2.
​

What Changed

Navigation Stuff

• Modules won't auto-play when you reopen the app anymore - only when you're actually going through them
• Home screen carousels snap to each card now (no more weird half-scrolling)
• You can swipe down anywhere to close course previews instead of hunting for that tiny bar at the top

Search & Recommendations

• Search now shows exact course name matches first, then keyword results
• "Featured Courses" is now "Recommended Courses" (because that's what it actually is)
• "More Like This" capped at 3 course suggestions instead of throwing everything at you

Fixes

• Fixed the camera permission text to match what your phone actually says ("While using the app" on Android, "Allow" on iOS)
• Modules close automatically now when you finish them

TL;DR

Same app, less annoying. Update when you can.

Questions? Hit us up.

Most training programs don’t fail because technicians don’t care.

They fail because engagement wasn’t intentionally designed.

In our recent Power Hour, we unpacked what actually drives technician participation and long-term motivation inside training programs. Not theory. Real, practical strategies you can implement immediately.

Here are a few of the key concepts we covered:

Clear expectations drive completion

If technicians don’t know what success looks like, they won’t move toward it. Engagement increases when expectations are defined up front and reinforced consistently.

STRAM (not SMART) goals create accountability

Training should tie to measurable outcomes, not vague improvement. When goals are specific and trackable, supervisors can coach more effectively and technicians understand what they’re working toward.

Motivation is individual

Some technicians are driven by advancement. Others by pay, pride, speed, or recognition. Programs that treat motivation as one-size-fits-all struggle to gain traction.

Engagement gaps are predictable

Drop-off points exist in every training program. The key is identifying where they happen and designing reinforcement before momentum is lost.

If you’re responsible for technician training, workforce development, or LMS adoption, this conversation was built for you.

We host Power Hour sessions regularly to share practical strategies, real examples from the field, and actionable frameworks you can apply immediately.

Keep an eye out for the next session. We’d love to see you there.

Training Lifecycle

Check out this snippet from our webinar on the training lifecycle

Hi there,

Last quarter we released pre-made assessments. Now, you have the ability to create your own! All questions are fully customizable and sharable.

Assessments are for unlimited usage and can be used to re-assess where your current employees are or for hiring.

Customizable Assessments

Examples Assessments you can create:

• Company values
• Sales skills
• Company policies
• Maintenance tasks specific to your area

Question types include:

• Multiple choice
• Fill in the Blank
• Multi-Select
• Text Input

Make your own assessment today and share your feedback with us.

👷‍♂️ Find a job in the trades

Did you know the Lab section in the app will help you in your job search. Get help creating your resume and searching for jobs.

• Search for jobs in your area
• Create a resume

🧰 Join us in NYC for the InstallerSHOW

We’re excited to be joining the Installer Show on March 18th and 19th. We hope to see you there!

InstallerSHOW is bringing its first US edition to the Javits Center, NYC, on 18–19 March 2026, co-located with New York Build Expo.

✨ Take Our Nate Exam and Level up Your Career

NATE Certifications are offered in SkillCat to help you build confidence, validate core skills, and stand out early in your career.

🚨 New Course Alert!

Course: Basic HVAC Tools and Their Uses (1.2 hrs) GO →

This course gets technicians fluent in the tools they actually use every day so they can stop guessing, work faster, and look like they know exactly what they’re doing the moment they step on the job.

Course: Basic Residential Refrigeration Cycle Components (1 hr) GO →

This course breaks down the residential refrigeration cycle so technicians can spot components fast, understand how layouts differ (yes, including mini-splits), and diagnose flow issues without standing there staring at the unit like it’s a puzzle.

Already Using SkillCat? Train Your Whole Team.

You trust SkillCat to level up your own skills.

Now use it to onboard, train, and upskill your entire crew.

With a business account, you get:

• One training platform for your whole team
• Clear visibility into who’s learning what
• Opportunity to build learning paths for each individual employee

Stop training one tech at a time. Build a stronger crew on SkillCat.

Happy Holidays ya filthy animals. We hope you all get gifted a new drill set and zero emails marked ‘per my last message.’

New Courses

Maintenance Electrical Component Checks

This course gives HVAC maintenance technicians hands-on training in inspecting and correcting common electrical issues. You’ll learn how to spot and fix loose or corroded connections, damaged wiring, and worn insulation. Check it out →

Basic Split System: Components Identification

We created this course to help new HVAC techs easily recognize and understand the key parts of a typical residential split system before working on one. Check it out →

Industry News

🧰 EPA’s latest refrigerant rule could change what techs see in the field

🤖 HVAC pricing is getting dragged online kicking and screaming. Thanks, AI

2026 Outlook

Key Trends & Challenges for 2026

• Regulatory Compliance: Starting Jan 1, 2026, new equipment must use low-GWP refrigerants (R-454B, R-32), impacting repairs and replacements.
• Electrification: Increased adoption of heat pumps due to state mandates.
• Labor Shortages: High demand for technicians, with significant job growth expected, but many retiring workers are not being replaced.
• Digital Marketing: Essential for vetting by younger, digitally-savvy customers. Especially with AI used as Google
• Rising Costs: Expect higher equipment and material costs (3-6% rise).

What Contractors Need to Do

• Embrace High-Performance HVAC: Develop systems for measuring static pressure and training for new standards.
• Master New Technology: Train on low-GWP refrigerants, R-32, R-454B, and inverter-driven systems.
• Boost Online Presence: Focus on trustworthiness and experience through digital channels.
• Strategic Planning: Plan for system upgrades considering long-term regulations and energy codes (like NYC's Local Law 97).
• Invest in Workforce: Address labor gaps with training.