MOBILE, Ala., April 27, 2023 - Bishop State Community College and Alabama Power held its first HVAC Fast Track Graduation Ceremony and Job Fair on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 10 a.m. on the Bishop State Southwest Campus located at 925 Dauphin Island Parkway; Mobile, AL 36605 in Building 500.
Nine students graduated from this first cohort of the program which started in January 2023. Along with the graduation, there was a job fair exclusively for the HVAC graduate students following the ceremony. HVAC trade organizations and industry partners were invited to attend the graduation and were present during the job fair.
“Our ultimate goal at Bishop State is to get students jobs,” says Akareem Spears, Dean of Workforce and Economic Development. “So why not provide students with the opportunity to be employed as soon as they complete our program? This process also allows businesses and industries to hire potential candidates while the information is fresh, and the trainees are open to new training and employment opportunities. Training should lead to employment, and this is a perfect example of how this is mutually beneficial for students and local industries. It's a match made in HVAC heaven!”
"Congratulations to the graduates,” said Jerry Grissom, Alabama Power Director of External Labor. "Versatile job training programs like Bishop State's are building up Alabama's workforce while lifting families' futures. We are proud to support their program, and I hope we get to work with some of these grads on our teams."
The HVAC Fast Track Program is an accelerated 11-week non-credit training program that teaches technical knowledge and skills on how to repair, install, service, and maintain the operating condition of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. The curriculum includes diagnostic techniques, use of testing equipment, and principles of mechanics, electricity, and electronics as related to repair. Participants earned Bishop State and EPA Section 608 Refrigerant certifications along with other credentials.
“According to the HVACR Workforce Foundation, by 2021 there will be a shortage of 170,000+ technicians," says Daphne Stamps, Industry Liaison and HVAC Fast track coordinator. "This 11-week program is an innovative partnership between Alabama Power and Bishop State to help address an emerging workforce need in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) field.”
Bishop State is currently taking applications for the next HVAC Fast Track cohort that starts June 5th. If you or someone you know is interested in applying, complete the form in the link https://www.bishop.edu/programs/workforce-development/hvac or contact Daphne Stamps at dstamps@bishop.edu and 251-665-4130.