Legacy Heating and Cooling invests $1.5 million to strengthen skilled trades training at NAIT

Published on May 25, 2026

If you walk through NAIT’s skilled‑trades wing these days, you might hear something familiar between the clang of tools and the steady whir of HVAC  systems. It starts as a quiet hum from one student, then a bar or two from another. Before long, a full lab joins in—the unmistakable jingle: “Call Legacy.” 

It’s a lighthearted moment, but behind it is something meaningful.  

Legacy Heating and Cooling has generously committed $1.5M over multiple years to strengthen skilled trades training at NAIT, supporting modern lab environments, student awards, and hands-on learning across three high‑demand programs—Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic (RACM), Sheet Metal Worker and Plumber. 

For students, it means more hands‑on time building skill and confidence. For industry, it means graduates who show up ready to troubleshoot, repair and deliver from day one. 

Training that reflects the real world

Inside NAIT’s newly named Legacy Heating & Cooling Furnace Laboratory, students train on the same type of systems used across Alberta’s homes, workplaces and job sites. The added equipment increases hands‑on rotations and helps instructors run more efficient, more realistic labs. 

“Students learn best by doing and this gift lets them do more of that,” says Matthew Lindberg-Fowlow, Dean, School of Construction and Building Sciences. “It strengthens Alberta’s skilled‑trades pipeline at a time when demand for HVAC, sheet metal and plumbing expertise continues to grow. We are grateful to the team at Legacy Heating & Cooling for  their dedication to education and the impact their partnership will create every day on NAIT campus.” 

A partner investing in Alberta’s future tradespeople 

For Legacy Heating & Cooling, the decision to support NAIT was simple: invest directly in the next generation of skilled workers. 

At Legacy Heating & Cooling, we believe investing in education and the skilled trades is an investment in the future of our industry and our province,” says Steve Weiss, partner in Legacy Heating & Cooling. “Skilled trades are essential to Alberta’s continued growth, and supporting NAIT helps ensure the next generation of tradespeople receives the hands-on training, knowledge, and opportunities they need to succeed.”

The partnership also reflects Legacy’s long‑standing commitment to learning, including their own “Legacy University”, an internal training environment where new employees build foundational skills before entering apprenticeship pathways and continuing their education through programs offered at NAIT.

More hands‑on time → more confidence → job‑ready graduates 

Over the next decade, thousands of students will train on the equipment Legacy has provided. Each furnace, each workstation and each lab upgrade helps students build the confidence needed to step into high‑demand careers in Alberta’s construction and building‑systems sectors. 

And if the familiar jingle echoes through the halls of NAIT, it will be a reminder of a community partner helping prepare the next generation of skilled trades professionals.