Central Piedmont to expand HVAC program on Harper Campus

CHARLOTTE – Central Piedmont Community College is working with Dublin-based Trane and the National Coalition of Certification Centers to establish an HVAC Center of Excellence at the school’s Harper Campus, off Hebron Street in southwest Charlotte.

According to a release from CPCC, the proposed HVAC Center will add to the school’s air conditioning, heating and refrigeration technology program. Jeff Lowrance, CPCC’s spokesman, said the program will expand into some of the 150,000 square feet of expanded space proposed at Harper Campus. That space is included in the $210 million CPCC bonds package that’s up for a vote on Nov. 5.

“Employers prefer to hire technicians who have demonstrated technical skills through third-party providers,” Jay Potter, CPCC’s Harper Campus dean, said in the release. “CPCC’s partnership with (the National Coalition of Certification Centers) and Trane will provide students the ability to obtain nationally recognized industry credentials. These HVAC credentials will help students obtain the high-skilled, high-wage jobs that are in demand and assist companies in selecting the best qualified candidates for available positions.”

Trane, a brand of Ingersoll Rand, with its North American headquarters in Davidson, is a manufacturer of a broad range of energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; dehumidifying and air cleaning products, and advanced building controls.

The Coalition of Certification Centers is a network of education providers and corporations that supports new and emerging technology skills in the transportation, aviation and energy industries. The organization addresses the need for strong industry partnerships with educational institutions in order to develop, implement and sustain industry-recognized certifications that have strong validation and assessment standards, the release said.

Lowrance said that if the bonds are passed, the HVAC Center of Excellence plans to start accepting students in fall 2014. The air conditioning, heating and refrigeration technology program currently has about 400 students and may begin to take more if the space is expanded, he said.