HVACR instructors can set their sights on a new destination. Next month, the 2012 HVACR & Mechanical Conference for Education Professionals is being held in Colorado Springs, Colo., March 12-14 at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort.

The event, which was formerly known as the Instructors Workshop and was held every year in Virginia, is not only changing venues but also broadening its scope. The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) continues to organize the event, and has been joined this year by a record number of industry organizations that are also sponsoring the event.

“Fifteen industry organizations support this event, making it the largest and most comprehensive industry-backed event of its kind,” said Stephen Yurek, AHRI president and CEO. “This conference is indicative of the industry’s dedication to providing quality education and tools for the next generation of industry professionals. With our support, HVACR and water heating instructors and administrators pay only for travel, and gain industry-specific technical and teaching expertise.”

Specifically, the 2012 conference sponsors include:

• AHRI;

• Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA);

• Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA);

• Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE);

• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE);

• Council of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Educators (CARE);

• Heating, Airconditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI);

• Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI);

• HVAC Inspection, Maintenance and Restoration Association;

• Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA);

• Institute of Heating and Air Conditioning Industries (IHACI);

• National Air Filtration Association (NAFA);

• North American Technician Excellence (NATE);

• National Association of Oil and Energy Service Professionals (OESP);

• Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC);

• Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES); and

• SkillsUSA.

Helping Educators Stay Up-to-Date

According to Warren Lupson, AHRI director of certification, the industry is currently going through major changes, and as a result, HVACR educators need to be aware of and understand these changes. Lupson said that holding this year’s event in the mountains of Colorado will be a “breath of fresh air.” More importantly, he added, instructors who attend the event will learn “how to effectively train the next generation of skilled workers that we are going to need. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be approximately 136,000 jobs to fill between now and 2018.”

Sessions will cover a range of topics including everything from energy codes and green building to best practices for teaching Generation Y students. Instructors are invited to learn more about the conference and register online at www.ahrinet.org.

Additionally, after the conference closes at noon on March 14, attending instructors will be able to take NATE, ICE, and RSES tests at no charge or take ASHRAE certification tests for a fee. Additionally, HRAI will offer a two-day training course following the close of the conference. The course, titled “U.S. Residential Mechanical Ventilation Installation,” will be taught by Bill Crist and will be offered at a discounted rate to attendees.

Publication date: 02/27/2012