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Heating And Air Conditioning

Published or Revised September 09, 2020

The air conditioning and refrigeration industry covers the comfort systems - heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration - that our society depends on year-round. A $150 billion a year business, the heating and cooling industry employs many people, yet more and more skilled individuals are needed to meet increasing demand. The industry works on issues that affect our environment such as indoor air quality and protecting the earth’s ozone layer through refrigerant recovery. In the home, people depend on air conditioning and heating to remain comfortable.

Electronic and computer manufacturers need cool, clean and very dry air for their products. Hospitals, day-care centers and community centers depend on their heating, air conditioning and ventilation equipment to maintain comfortable temperatures and good air quality. Research labs, medical manufacturers and food preparation companies require dependable heating, air conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation equipment to assure their products are pure and safe.

Farmers, livestock shippers and fruit growers rely on refrigerated trucks, warehouses and display cases to keep their products fresh. Supermarkets rely on air conditioning and refrigeration equipment 24 hours a day.

PJC’s goal is to train competent air conditioning, heating, ventilation and refrigeration technicians for the residential, industrial and commercial fields. Students get hands-on training on the type of equipment used in residential, manufacturing and retail environments. Students learn to install, maintain, troubleshoot and repair residential and commercial equipment.

Students may enter either a one-year certificate program or a two-year degree program, and attend full-time or part-time, day or night. PJC graduates go to work for air conditioning and refrigeration service companies in entry-level service or installation positions. Many PJC graduates now operate their own business. Students learn of the latest energy management controls currently being used in the heating and air conditioning industry as it continues developing a greener environment.

PJC has day and evening classes to fit a variety of schedules. An Associate of Applied Science degree is offered (64 credit hours), as well as a Certificate in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (41 credit hours) and a Certificate in Distributed Digital Control for Air Conditioning (16 credit hours, prerequisite is certificate in air conditioning).

For more information about PJC's heating and air conditioning program, contact Christopher Bardrick, Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technology Instructor, at 903.782.0465 or cbardrick@parisjc.edu; or Bobby Wallace, Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technology Instructor, at 903.782.0347 or bwallace@parisjc.edu.