As an HVAC company owner, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks of running your business. Service calls, installations, customer service, and business operations consume most of your time. However, it’s essential to take a step back and consider the long-term future of the industry, specifically how we are nurturing the next generation of HVAC professionals. This involves fostering educational endeavors and initiatives like the recent statewide conference for HVAC instructors hosted by Wake Tech.
A Dive Into The Event
Wake Tech, in collaboration with Brady Services, recently welcomed HVAC educators from across the state for the fourth annual Community College Instructors Conference. This day-long event was an immersion into best practices, latest equipment updates, and a broader understanding of accreditation processes.
One of the standout showcases was Wake Tech’s Building Automation Technology (BAT) program, the first associate degree of its kind in North Carolina. With a state-of-the-art BAT lab, instructors offer hands-on training in real-world environments, complete with air handlers, chillers, and boiler systems.
Why It Matters
Educational events such as this are essential in multiple ways:
- Sharing Knowledge and Best Practices: They allow for a cross-pollination of ideas and the sharing of best practices, ensuring that educators are equipped with the latest techniques and knowledge.
- Innovative Programs: Programs like BAT are game-changers. They are molding the future of HVAC, ensuring that the upcoming workforce is not only skilled in current technologies but is also prepared for future advancements in the sector.
- Addressing the Skill Gap: As Jimmy Freeman, AHR program director, rightly pointed out, there’s a significant demand for technicians in the AHR trade. By enhancing the quality of education, we’re ensuring that students are primed for success in the industry, effectively bridging the skill gap.
The Call to Action for HVAC Companies
So, how does this tie back to you, the HVAC company owner? Here’s the crux: supporting such events and initiatives ensures a competent, well-trained, and innovative future workforce. It’s an investment in the future of the industry.
By sponsoring, attending, or even just promoting events like the Community College Instructors Conference, you’re actively participating in shaping the future of HVAC. It’s about more than just good PR; it’s about ensuring that the industry continues to thrive, innovate, and serve customers effectively.
Furthermore, collaboration with educational institutions can provide direct benefits. It opens doors for potential internships, partnerships, and hiring avenues. You’ll have firsthand access to the brightest minds entering the field.
Conclusion
The future of the HVAC industry hinges on the education and training of the next generation. By championing and supporting events like Wake Tech’s conference, HVAC companies can ensure a brighter, more innovative, and prosperous future for the industry. Embrace the challenge, and start looking for ways to get involved today. The future of HVAC depends on it.
tl;dr: Wake Tech recently hosted a statewide conference for HVAC instructors, focusing on best practices, equipment updates, and innovative programs like the Building Automation Technology (BAT). Such educational events are crucial for the HVAC industry’s future, ensuring a well-trained and innovative workforce. HVAC company owners are urged to support these initiatives as they not only shape the next generation of professionals but also ensure the industry’s continued growth and success. Supporting these events is an investment in the industry’s future.
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