Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC/R)

Department Head
Tom Shiflet
250-8384

Full-time Faculty List
David Faust
Kim Watson

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Career Focus

HVACR is a field of study that leads to many careers in heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration, systems we all depend upon.

Why is the industry so important?
HVACR systems do much more than keep us cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Let’s say you’re a farmer who’s produced a crop that needs to be shipped to sales outlets. Without properly running refrigerated trucks, warehouses and display cases, your livelihood is lost. Or suppose your loved one is hospitalized. Without proper air quality, it would be difficult to heal. HVACR systems allow research labs, medicine manufacturers and food preparation firms to ensure products are pure and safe. They provide cool, clean and dry air for electronic and computer manufacturers. They control humidity that permits the printing process to take place. In fact, virtually every home and business has some form of essential heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment.

What’s the outlook for the industry?
The $150 billion a year HVACR industry isn’t in danger of being shipped overseas or being replaced anytime soon. In fact, jobs paying anywhere from $25,000 to $100,000 are predicted to increase in the years ahead as demand increases for industrial, commercial and residential systems.

What training is required to service these systems?
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency requires that technicians be certified. Graduates of Greenville Tech’s HVACR programs are well prepared to test for certification and as a result, enjoy a high success rate on the exam. You can even earn a certification for the 410A refrigerant being used in new residential and commercial air conditioning systems. As part of our diploma, each student must take one of the following competency exams: Residential Air Conditioning & Heating , Light Commercial Air Conditioning & Heating, or Commercial Refrigeration.

  What will I learn?
  Our programs cover the latest topics including   environmentally safe refrigerants and new   high-  tech tools that allow the technician to   access   the Internet to contact a unit needing   maintenance. These are not topics you’ll just   read about in a book. Greenville Tech’s HVACR   program is equipped with real life equipment   including a commercial refrigeration lab with   display cases, a vacuum drain system, a   computer operation system and a compressor   rack just like those used in today’s grocery stores. We’re one of only three places in North America teaching you to work with the state-of-the-art oil-less compressor, which is 20% more efficient than anything now on the market. And you can learn the latest in high tech control systems in our Johnson control lab.

I’m in a hurry. How long do the programs take?
You can have a new career in less than a year with our HVACR options, and since many of our students work while they’re completing their education, all classes are available days or evenings.

Where will I work?
The HVACR industry offers a wide range of careers from installer to business owner. With training, you can design, install, service and maintain the following systems:

• Residential systems for homes and apartment buildings.

• Commercial Refrigeration systems in grocery stores, restaurants and convenience stores.

• Industrial/Commercial Air Conditioning systems in shopping malls, movie theaters, industrial plants, factories, hospitals and office buildings.

• Energy management systems

• Direct digital controls

• Remote monitoring

Your work will take you to lots of different settings, and you will spend very little time behind a desk. Job sites may include sports arenas, shopping malls, theaters, private homes, apartment complexes, offices, industrial plants, schools, factories, grocery stores, and hospitals.

Programs
Find the right climate for a high tech career in Greenville Tech’s HVACR program.

Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Mechanics Diploma
Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technician Certificate
Beginning Electricity & Refrigeration Certificate
Commercial & Industrial Air Conditioning Certificate

The Associate in Occupational Technology is available to graduates of the diploma program.

Links
www.acca.org  Air-Conditioning Contractors of  America
www.rses.org  Refrigeration Service Engineers  Society
www.phccweb.org  Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors (PHCC)