What You’ll Learn

Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVAC&R)

Objectives

This nine-month, 800-hour, full-time day or evening certificate program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and hands-on skills to become successful HVAC&R technicians. HVAC&R technicians work for heating and cooling contractors, refrigeration and air conditioning service and repair shops, schools, hospitals, office buildings, a variety of food industries, and local, state, or federal government facilities.

Upon successful completion of the certificate program, students are credited with 2,000 hours towards the requirement to sit for the Massachusetts Refrigeration Technician License exam. Under the supervision of an instructor, the students will the learn installation, maintenance, diagnosis, and repair of heating, cooling, and refrigeration equipment. The HVAC&R program also provides preparation and proctored testing for the EPA 608 Universal Technician certification. In addition, we also offer an R-410A high-pressure refrigerant certification, OSHA 10-hour Safety certificate, NORA bronze oil certification, 609 MVAC (motor vehicle air conditioning) certification, and the Preventative Maintenance Technician Certification.

This program offers 150 hours of electrical code training and a minimum of 150 hours of refrigeration theory needed for Massachusetts state licensure and follows all federal regulations regarding gainful employment.

The HVAC&R program is also offered during the evening for students who are unable to study during the day. Students in the HVAC&R evening program study Monday through Thursday. The program normally begins in January and concludes the following August.

Student Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the HVAC&R Certificate, the graduate will be able to:

• Demonstrate the principles of refrigeration and air conditioning.
• Identify principles of different refrigerants and their temperature pressure relationships.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of refrigeration and air conditioning components, including compressors, evaporators, metering devices and condensers.
• Implement proper charging of refrigeration and air conditioning systems and proper leak detection methods.
• Solder, braze, and Zoomlock^TM pipes and fittings.
• Pressurize and detect leaks in a refrigeration system.
• Recover refrigerant from systems in accordance with EPA and Mass. Dept. of Public Safety guidelines.
• Flare and swage tubing.
• Troubleshoot electrical and mechanical malfunctions of commercial and domestic units.
• Use HVAC&R tools and measuring devices effectively.
• Proper installation maintenance procedures of heating, refrigeration, air conditioning and ventilation equipment.