Earlier this month, the Morning Star ran a piece on new efforts to improve HVAC education in the Pittsburg area.  This, we hope, is a sign of a changing educational landscape throughout the United States.

As the HVAC industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and the related technology continues to be advanced, there will be a need for young, well-trained contractors to take on the work of installing and maintaining systems.

In order to have that new fleet of intelligent, skilled workers, there must be a training program in place. According to the Morning Star, the Pittsburg area will now have just that.  A $325,000 project has made it possible for the Career and Technical Education Center to triple its annual number of accepted applications.  The construction on the new facility was started in October of last year, and the red tape was just cut, to mark the opening of its doors.

This effort to expand the HVAC program is part of a large technical and career education initiative, brought forth by a partnership between the local community college, Pittsburg City, and Crawford County.

It is a big step for the area, and, while it is only a small step for the overall HVAC industry, it is an important one.  It will hopefully be just one of many such initiatives aimed at growing the talent pool for HVAC companies to pull from.  We have already seen similar efforts in other areas of the country, and expect to see that trend continue in the coming years.

These education advancements are necessary to ensure that the next generation of HVAC contractors is able to fully understand the available systems, controls, sensors, and other components.  Properly trained and educated contractors will help to ensure that homes and commercial properties are energy efficient, which is good for the economy, good for the environment, and good for the industry.