In Ogeechee Technical College’s Air Conditioning Technology program, students learn about more than just how to cool and heat air—they learn about air quality, an important factor in combating a pandemic.
“Living in the southeast, we often make air conditioning about our comfort, but it is also about our health,” said Shane Todd, OTC’s Air Conditioning Technology Instructor. “One of the courses we teach here at Ogeechee Tech is exclusively about insulation, air quality and ventilation. Our students learn a lot about how to purify air, getting rid of airborne contaminants, as well as how electronic air filters and UV lights can kill anything alive that is floating in the air like viruses, bacteria, and mold.”
Path to Air Conditioning Diploma
It takes students, on average, four semesters to earn their Air Conditioning technology diploma. In those four semesters they take classes on refrigeration, HVAC, gas furnaces and heat pumps. Todd, who has been teaching at OTC for 15 years, boasted about the opportunities available to students both before and after graduation.
“Many of our students are already out working in the field, and here in the southeast there is no shortage of work, as air conditioning—and even central heat—is everybody’s best friend. This is a great profession if you are mechanically minded—you can leave here and find work anywhere in the country, no matter the season.”
Though central air conditioning has been commonplace for nearly 60 years, the units and methods are constantly changing. Ogeechee Tech has recently purchased two new units for classroom instruction that are identical to the units many of the students will encounter out in the field.
“Air conditioning just fascinates me,” said Josh Summers, a student in the program. “Being able to physically hold the parts in class and work on the new units that are here lets me experience what real life as a technician is going to look like. I like working with electrical components and working with my hands, so this program is the perfect fit for me.”
Students who graduate from the program also have the opportunity to work in refrigeration, assisting the economy by keeping produce and frozen goods fresh in grocery and convenience stores. For more information on the Air Conditioning Technology program at Ogeechee Tech, please visit www.ogeecheetech.edu/AIRC.
