• Programmatic Accreditation validate programs meet national standards.
• Student Outcome Assessments end of program high school assessments.
• Employment Ready Certifications validate one has the retained knowledge necessary for employment in the HVACR industry.
• Specialty Certifications addressing industry concerns about reducing warranty claims, reducing call backs and maximizing the energy efficiency of equipment.
•  Professional Technician Certificationsa series of written challenging exams for experienced technicians.
• Master Specialist Technician Certifications a series of hands-on exams, that validate if retained knowledge can be applied in a real-world, hands-on environment.
• Educator Credentialing Exams enable HVACR educators to verify the depth of their knowledge.
• National HVACR Educators and Trainers Conference a professional development conference that provides training for those involved in training the current and future HVACR workforce.

While HVAC Excellence has been able to reach and enrich the education process in countless ways, there are still many areas to enhance and strengthen.

As we continue to work with educators, administrators, trainers, public and private schools, and other industry training programs, we again recognize a void or need. Educators, administrators, and other educational personnel become bogged down in the education process. Paperwork, reports, lesson plans, meetings, etc., are becoming the new normal in the education process. To put it simply, there isn’t enough time to effectively conduct aprogram assessment or needs analysis. e.g. Is there new technology in the field that students/new technicians need to know? What are the latest and greatest tools and test instruments being used? How do I design an effective lab layout?  Where/how do I get that equipment? Is there a better way to engage my students in the learning process? How do I become a credentialed instructor? These are some questions that an HVACR instructor may be asking, and unless he/she spends a countless number of hours doing research, making connections, and finding the right resources, these questions could take years to get answered or worse may be abandoned.

New and existing HVACR programs need a resource clearinghouse to obtain assistance in growing and expanding their programs; a resource to turn to when they need new equipment or trainers in their labs; if they want to find new resources or curriculum and for those programs who are not quite sure what they want or need.

The HVACR Educators Resource Network (HERN), a new initiative from HVAC Excellence will provide a consultant and conduct a needs analysis. HERN will be able to guide instructors and administrators to the resources needed in their programs in order to provide the next generation of technicians the best possible training experience.

What does this mean for industry stakeholders? Stakeholders, no matter what their role; manufacturer, wholesaler, curriculum provider, etc., will benefit from the development of and participation in this network. By making their products and/or services available through HERN, they are supporting education in the HVACR industry. They will be helping to build a strong foundation for our industry and establish the roots from which the next generation of technicians can grow.

HERN will be a network of educators, trainers, educational institutions, manufacturers, curriculum providers, wholesalers, credentialing bodies, soft skill providers, teaching aids suppliers, and other industry-related organization stake holders, who have come together to support world class HVACR training programs in an effort to provide schools and other industry training programs with the tools and resources necessary to produce a highly skilled workforce. HERN enables associate members to become the ultimate resource, the one stop shop, for administrators, trainers, and educators.

The mission of HVAC Excellence remains to improve the technical competency of the HVACR industry. HERN is another tool to help us accomplish our goals.

HERN will be launched during the 2019 National HVACR Educators and Trainers Conference. To register, visit escogroup.org.