GRIT Camp Brings Hands-On Trades Experience to Canton Students
Building the Trades Workforce of Tomorrow
CANTON, OH, UNITED STATES, June 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The path into the trades usually starts with exposure. For most students, that exposure never happens. On June 26, the GRIT Foundation is bringing that exposure to Canton.
The one-day GRIT Camp, co-hosted by TruTech Tools and FastTrack Lab, is designed for young students. It puts tools in their hands and lets them work through real tasks with experienced tradespeople.
Participants rotate through a series of trade stations covering areas like HVAC and other skilled trades. Each station is built around a simple idea: learn by doing. Mentors guide the process but do not take over. The goal is not to finish with a certificate. It is to leave with a clear understanding of what the work actually looks like.
The trades are facing a growing shortage of skilled workers.
Across the industry, experienced technicians are retiring faster than new ones are coming in. Contractors feel it in hiring, and manufacturers feel it in support. That gap does not fix itself. It needs to be addressed earlier by showing students what these careers are before they rule them out.
The GRIT Foundation was created by professionals who have spent their careers in and around the trades. Bryan Orr, president of Kalos Services and founder of HVAC School, and Ruchir Shah, founder of SkillCat, built the program to reach students before the decision point.
The organization is led by Executive Director Leilani Orr and Head of Training Ty Branaman, who brings decades of HVAC experience into the curriculum. Everything about the camp reflects how the work actually happens in the field.
The GRIT Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that introduces young people to careers in HVAC and the skilled trades through hands-on, one-day camps. The organization partners with contractors, educators, and industry professionals to provide real exposure to the work in communities across the country.
Ways to Get Involved
GRIT works directly with contractors, schools, and industry partners to run camps in local communities.
Host a camp: Open your shop and mentor students for a day
Sponsor a camp: Fund materials and help cover student participation
Partner locally: Bring a camp or workshop into an existing program
More information is available on The GRIT Foundation website.
Ginny Hebert
TruTech Tools
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