Written on: September 16, 2025 by ICM
The Pennsylvania Petroleum Association (PPA) is excited to announce a multi-year partnership with R.W. Beckett Corp. at the new Pennsylvania Petroleum Association Technical Education Center (PPATEC) trade school located in Grantville, PA. The 12,000+ sq ft facility will position PPATEC to significantly expand hands-on technical training solutions for individuals employed in the HVAC and energy industry.
R.W. Beckett Corp. has committed to being a founding sponsor of the Oil Lab in the new PPATEC school. The space features 15+ oil-fired units and simulators that provide technicians with a wide range of hands-on training opportunities to service, troubleshoot, repair and install oil combustion equipment. The collaboration will enhance the association’s efforts to expand workforce development initiatives for the HVAC and energy industry.
“We are thrilled to announce this partnership with a brand that is so well known and respected within the oil heat industry,” said Ted Harris, Executive VP at PPA.
“Our trade school was established five decades ago to offer hands-on oil heat training solutions. Our new facility in Grantville is designed to diversify our HVAC program for all energy sources, but oil heat training will remain a core competency of who we are as an educational institution.
“This move formally connects R.W. Beckett Corporation, the market leader within the space, to our trade school, and we couldn’t be more excited to collaborate on shared objectives moving forward.”
Added Kevin Beckett, CEO of the R.W. Beckett Corp., “It is a guiding principle at Beckett to be the company our industry turns to for innovation, product excellence, technical support, and field training.
“PPA’s commitment to expanding technical training for all industry stakeholders is in direct alignment with our company objectives.”
PPATEC is a postsecondary career training program licensed by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education and approved by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) to accept GI Bill benefits. The 400-hour entry-level program is designed to provide an industry-specific training curriculum for the next generation of technicians entering the field.
Sponsored by Beckett, Lab B at the PPATEC Grantville trade school will provide resources to enable students to work on a wide range of burners, controls, filters and other products available under the R.W. Beckett Corp. brand, as well as explore other synergies between the two organizations to maximize industry training offerings.
