HVAC Excellence is pleased to announce that the HVACR training program at Southeast Technical College, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota has been granted accreditation.

In 1968, minimum wage was $1.60 per hour, Apollo 8 became the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon, and Southeast Area Vocational Technical School now known as Southeast Technical College opened its doors. A great deal has changed in the last fifty years, however their commitment to the trades remains steadfast. To make certain their HVACR program met national standards, they voluntarily chose to pursue programmatic accreditation of their HVACR program.

What is Programmatic Accreditation

Programmatic accreditation, is an independent, third-party review of an educational program, comparing it to established, industry-accepted standards. These standards are designed to ensure that the future workforce receives the quality training required for success in the HVACR industry.

To pursue this accreditation, they completed a detailed, comprehensive self-study, that demonstrated compliance with each of the required standards. The self-study was then sent to HVAC Excellence, where an accreditation review board thoroughly assessed the submission.

The accreditation review board, having approved the self-study, sent a team to conduct an intense, onsite review of the program. The onsite team was tasked with validating compliance with all the established standards and the accuracy of the self-study. The onsite team consists of two members, one who has served as an HVACR instructor, the other as a school administrator. They are seasoned professionals, that possess the knowledge, training, and experience to successfully evaluate every aspect of an HVACR program.

Upon a thorough review of all the documentation presented by the administration, faculty, and the onsite accreditation team, the HVAC Excellence accreditation review board unanimously decided to grant accreditation of the program.

Benefits of Programmatic Accreditation

As a nationally accredited institution, the following benefits can be realized. They can assure prospective students and employer partners that the program has met or exceeded national standards and has the resources and administrative support to professionally train the workforce. This helps enhance student placement and employer satisfaction, and may lead to advanced placement opportunities with major employers in the HVACR industry such as Johnson Controls, Carrier Commercial, SIEMENS, and EMCOR. In addition, through an articulation agreement, graduates of the program may qualify for advanced placement in the United Association’s Department of Labor approved apprenticeship program.

Learn More About the Program

Learn more about the accredited HVACR program at Southeast Technical College, by visiting them online at southeasttech.edu.