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TESTIMONIALS & TRADE PRESS
CHILDREN’S BOOK SERIES PROMOTING THE SKILLED TRADES LAUNCHES
Associated Press
Off the Cuff [PODCAST]
PHCPPros.com (Steve Smith)
Appetite for Construction [PODCAST].
Mechanical-hub.com (John Mesenbrink and Tim Ward)
“Great message! This book is well written, and my son just won’t put it down! The trades are so important for kids to learn about!"
Nicole (Pennsylvania)
“A well-executed book, and a great idea for a continuing series. Funny and memorable characters. We are looking forward to the next book.”
Jesse T. (Pennsylvania)
“It is very inspiring to see a colleague create a series focused on the importance of skilled trades in our industry, especially when it is raising awareness among children – some of whom could grow up to be future leaders at Watts.”
Khamsi (Ontario)
“A fun read that gently introduces our kids to the trades.”
Tom P. (New Jersey)
“Bravo! There are heroes in all occupations. The Water Came to a Stop reminds us all how important are our skilled workforce.”
Kevin R. (Pennsylvania)
“Gomer Gopher and Flo Fish showed our son that plumbers are superheroes too! He is now their #1 fan.”
Jake U. (South Carolina)
“Next Up Trades and its first book, The Water Came to a Stop, is a niche I didn't know we needed but I am so grateful that it’s created. Not only does it celebrate the skills required of our tradespeople (both interpersonal and job-specific) but also the entrepreneurial spirit that is so critical to success. The book highlights the importance of these professions in our day-to-day lives; more importantly this series emphasizes the integrity of those who keep our homes and businesses afloat.”
Riki J. (Pennsylvania)
Children’s Book Series Promoting the Skilled Trades Launches.
PHCPPros.com (Ruth Mitchell)
Plumbing Industry Pro Writes Kids Books to Promote Skilled Trades.
HPAC Magazine
Children's Book Series Promoting the Skilled Trades Launched.
Contractor Magazine
Children's Book Series Promoting the Skilled Trades Launches. Heatinghelp.com (Erin Holohan)
THE WATER CAME TO A STOP SYNOPSIS
The first book in the NEXT UP TRADES series. The story has Dean enjoying his birthday with all his friends and family when his home’s water unexpectedly stops. The family acts quickly and calls Gomer Gopher and Flo Fish from NEXT UP TRADES. At the conclusion, Dean and the family acknowledge their admiration for those involved in the plumbing trade.
The plumbing industry needs more plumbers, specifically women and minorities. The book provides plumbing word associations throughout, and the last page concludes with a word and image association lesson which assists in increasing children’s retention of vocabulary.
Support the skilled trades by purchasing this book and up to 2% of the proceeds will be donated to SKILLSUSA.
A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR
I am a participant in the amazing HVACR and plumbing industry. For over 10 years I have been in our industry and am employed by a major plumbing manufacturer. Just a few years ago, I started feeling compelled to consider ways to address the workforce development issues our industry faces. Because as we know, in a time of an emergency, skilled tradespeople are important to solve our problems through quality installation and maintenance. But without a steady and reliable stream of work talent becoming available, contractors will continue to face dire business growth prospects and our homes will be left uncomfortable for longer periods of time.
These myriad challenges facing skilled labor inspired me to create the concept of the NEXT UP TRADES children’s book series because I want the plumbing, HVACR and electrical industries to continue their success, despite these challenges. It is my hope that this series will teach young children, aged 4 to 8, that skilled trades are noble, necessary, and appreciated when completed. I believe our industry can better celebrate problem solving, acknowledge how technicians help others, and in turn, develop a positive perception of the skilled trades at a younger age. Children’s education and entertainment materials, fostered and championed by their guardians, is an excellent way to do that and start conversations with curious children.
My personal mission statement drove me to create the NEXT UP TRADES series. I want the plumbing, HVACR and electrical trades to grow and it starts by changing the perception of the skilled technician.
ABOUT RYAN KISCADEN
Ryan Kiscaden is an HVACR and plumbing marketer employed by a major plumbing manufacturer. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration and an MBA from Elizabethtown College. He lives outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his wife and two young sons. In 2020, he self-published a book available on Amazon.com. His experiences include working for an HVACR and plumbing wholesaler, running a non-profit focused on recycling thermostats and major plumbing equipment and plumbing category manufacturers. More information on his professional background is available on LinkedIn.
Ryan’s personal mission statement is to engage life with an introspective, decent, listen-first mentality which keeps the mind open and allows hearts to feel experiences that will enrich families and beliefs. This personal mission statement drove him to create the NEXT UP TRADES children’s book series because the plumbing, HVAC and electrical industries workforce must grow, and it starts with changing the perceptions associated with the typical skilled technician.
ORDERING VIA AMAZON or BULK BUY REQUESTS
I have my newest book, The Water Came To A Stop, (part of the Next UP Trades Series) available for order on AMAZON.
Please note, if you'd like to purchase the book quickly, the best option is to use
AMAZON. If you'd like to purchase the book with a bulk-buy order request, please fill in the contact us form below to send me a message. Please type your quantity request and I will work to provide you a quote.
The Water Came To A Stop is also available in
eBook format, designed for Amazon Kindle. Also, if you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, please feel free to search for the book through their program too!
When you are finished with your copy of The Water Came To A Stop, consider donating to your local library or gifting to someone that should hear its message.
NEXT UP TRADES represent an illustrated children’s book series which teaches that the skilled trades are noble, necessary, and appreciated when completed. The content of the series focuses on celebrating problem solving and helping others.
Other anticipated lessons from the NEXT UP TRADES series are teaching in-the-field best practices su
NEXT UP TRADES represent an illustrated children’s book series which teaches that the skilled trades are noble, necessary, and appreciated when completed. The content of the series focuses on celebrating problem solving and helping others.
Other anticipated lessons from the NEXT UP TRADES series are teaching in-the-field best practices such as job cleanliness, safety, creativity, and hygiene.
It is also anticipated that HVAC (The Air Came To A Stop) and electrical (The Power Came To A Stop) stories in the series will follow featuring the same characters.
MORE ON THE PLUMBING INDUSTRY
To discover more on the extraordinary PLUMBING industry, you can always reach out via the "Contact Me" section below or visit these websites:
SkillsUSA (https://www.skillsusa.org/)
Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors Association (https://www.phccweb.org/)
American Society of Plumbing Engineers (https://www.aspe.org/)
American Plumber Stories (https://www.americanplumberstories.com/)
Explore the Trades (https://explorethetrades.org/)
Heating Help (https://heatinghelp.com/)
Oatey Plumbing (https://www.oatey.com/)
Plumber Magazine (https://www.plumbermag.com/)
Plumbers w/o Borders (https://www.plumberswithoutborders.org/)
Plumbing Manufacturers Institute (https://www.safeplumbing.org/about-pmi) World Plumbing Council (https://www.worldplumbing.org/)
ABOUT SKILLSUSA
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student excel. We provide educational programs, events and competitions that support career and technical education in the nation’s classrooms.
In my book, Stay the Course: Chronicling My Self-Development, Business, and Vocational Improvement, I mention a chart on assessing a financial decision related to cutting your lawn. The chart describes the financial model I used to make the decision. For space in the printing of the book, it is available here for review, print, or saving. Enjoy the book and make sure to drop me a line!
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Have you ever heard the popular phrase, “It is better to give than to receive?” I would be shocked if anyone reading this blog hadn’t heard it. In the Bible, the book of Acts 20-35 details the meaning behind it. In short, you will derive greater life satisfaction if you consider giving. Giving is just as relevant today as it was in biblical times. This maxim is also true when assessing organizations.
Companies, organizations and people all consider ways to help their fellow man. Charitable donations, employee volunteerism, and social impact programs are staples in many organizations. Companies of all sizes, shapes, and flavors benefit by considering these initiatives. I believe it was Henry Ford that said, “a business that makes nothing, but money is a poor business.” More on @Ford in a minute.
Most companies today provide charitable donations, whether they are in cash, services or volunteerism. Why is that? Companies give for several reasons. The most obvious one is that by giving, it helps enhance their corporate image and keeps the brand top of mind with consumers. Having a positive company image leads to more sales but it also leads to higher employee retention rates and increased employee loyalty.
The U.S. tax code also encourages giving because of financial implications. Charitable donations lessen the overall tax burden as taxable income. Depending on the nature of the giving, some companies are able to get rid of slow-moving inventory and directly lowering inventory carrying costs. In most cases, the distribution of these goods allows the charitable company to reap half of the market value of the gift and increase profits (or reserves).
Supporting local communities also has an overall positive effect. It drives brighter futures for younger generations and those that are less fortunate. By investing corporate social capital into the communities, it helps to create a stronger community. When a company allows its employees to volunteer, empowerment for local employees is an enriching experience. Today’s employees are looking for ways to volunteer where they work and play. Even executives in the organization can join the fun.
If there are any themes to my writing, it is that I fundamentally believe that what gets measured gets better. Each company that works on corporate responsibility should have measurements to understand their social return. Executives and managers think in these terms. What is the year-on-year growth of giving in dollars and taxable income impact, and does it mirror the growth in revenue? Other common methods for measuring the success of these campaigns is to review the total employee participants, total number of events, or total number of recipients of the donations. The measurements can become as creative as there are ways to give.
I was recently doing truck research and became enamored with the Ford F-150. As I quickly discovered, like the varying degrees of options in the F-150, Ford has several different for charitable giving. Some of these initiatives include education, community life, and driving safety programs. On the education donations, they have given more than $18 million to grants supporting diversity and inclusion. The grants which they have for students are the “Ford Blue Oval Scholarships,” “Ford Driving Dreams Through Education,” and “Ford College Community Challenge.” Ford also has the “Partnership for Advanced Studies” next generation learning program, which teaches twenty education modules through local public schools. The content? Courses on limiting driver distraction, how to use speed and space management, vehicle handling and hazard recognition.
Ford also has philanthropy programs. Two stick out. The first is their “Feeding America” campaign, which distributes food products throughout the United States. They also have the “Helping Hands” program, which helps them reach senior citizens and disadvantaged communities such as the homeless. The best part about both campaigns is that Ford administers them through the Ford Volunteers Corporation, an internal volunteer group of Ford employees. These employees give their time to help homeless people throughout the world rebuild their lives. In most cases, these volunteers are helping to package meals, but they have also lent a hand in soup kitchens, shelters and pantries.
If it appears that I’m now a salesman for Ford, I guess you could be right. However, a simple truck buying search landed me down the path of assessing whether Ford had social impact programs. Today’s consumers and investors care about ESG (environment, social and governance) programs. Companies weight these initiatives against competitors. Companies are no longer able just to compete on price and availability. They also need to make an impact in the world.
So the next time you are in the market for a new vehicle, a new home appliance, or the latest smartphone, consider other aspects of the organization you are buying from beyond the well-known components of quality, reputation and price. A word of advice for any organization considering social impact programs: Discover the right cultural fit for your social impact programs first. Don’t give just to make it appear that you are giving. Be genuine in your attempts. If you don’t, you risk tarnishing the organization’s reputation.
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