Catholic Charities’ Refugee Programs is proud to announce Chas Roberts A/C and Plumbing as the recipient of the 2016 Employer of the Year Award. This honor was presented to Chas Roberts at Catholic Charities’ annual We Are The World Refugee dinner in early June. June is World Refugee Awareness Month.
“Chas Roberts stood out from among our many wonderful employers this year because of the significant number of clients it has hired and because of the way it has worked with our clients to help address some of their barriers (like transportation), thereby helping ensure that they keep their employment with Chas Roberts,” says Jennifer S. Kelley, Refugee Programs Employment Program Manager.
Helping Refugees Achieve Self-Sufficiency
Chas Roberts has an in-depth training program that gives candidates with no experience in HVAC installation an opportunity to obtain stable jobs, while earning a competitive salary and comprehensive health benefits. Service technicians receive a minimum of 100 hours of training each year through Chas Roberts University, ensuring technicians are fully knowledgeable and can provide the best quality customer service. This type of hands-on training contributes significantly to developing refugees’ skill set as they pursue their goal of achieving self-sufficiency. Chas Roberts has had more than 100 refugees participate in the training program this past year alone.
Ongoing Support
To address transportation challenges, Chas Roberts continues to work with community partners to research and identify van-pool options for those employees lacking access to their own transportation. Currently, they are working to secure an additional company van to transport employees to the job sites even after their initial training period is complete. This ensures refugee clients get off to a good start in their new jobs.
Chas Roberts is a third generation, family owned A/C and plumbing company. Since 1942, it has been one of Arizona’s largest HVAC contractors. Chas Roberts has demonstrated a genuine interest in supporting refugees in our community working strategically to address common barriers to employment and building a welcoming workplace.
Learn more about Catholic Charities’ Refugee Programs, please contact Jennifer S. Kelley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 602-997-6105 extension 51055.
