Cambrian College’s popular Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) program has moved to a bigger and brighter space on campus.
The new 7,612 square foot building features an enhanced training and teaching environment that houses state-of-the-art HVAC equipment, including furnaces, boilers, appliances and fireplaces, a simulation lab, and a classroom for 40 students.
An event was held October 6 to mark the official opening of the new facility, which is located between the Glencore Centre for Innovation and the R
esidence dorms, at the southeast side of the campus.
At the official opening, Cambrian President Bill Best said the new facility offers more opportunity for the HVAC program. “When I look around this space, what I really see is the power of possibility, because you don’t build new space or renovate space for what you used to do. You don’t just do it for what you’re currently doing. You do it because it’s the start of what you can do next,” Best explained.
Jesse Patterson, a second-year HVAC Technician student, offered his impressions of the new building and spoke on behalf of his classmates:
Graduates of the Cambrian College HVAC program are among the most highly-regarded in the field upon entering the workforce,” Patterson stated. “Having access to a one-of-a-kind state-of-the-art facility such as this will allow me and my fellow students, as well as all classes that follow us, to continue that tradition of excellence as we graduate.
Professor and program coordinator Darryl Squires thanked everyone for making the new facility a reality, saying: “this is a great benefit to our program, and to our college. This demonstrates how we all work together to provide the best level of training possible.”
Cambrian’s HVAC programs have a strong reputation among employers and graduates. In May, Cambrian student Bailey Bowman earned a gold medal at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition in the Heating Systems Technician category. Cambrian competitors also earned a silver medal in 2015 and a gold medal in 2014 in the same category.
As energy and heating/cooling costs continue to rise, so does the need for well-trained HVAC professionals to install and maintain heating and cooling equipment, and to optimize systems for efficiency and reliability. This dedicated space will enable Cambrian to grow its TSSA-certified HVAC program, adding a co-op placement component and apprenticeship option in the future.
