HVACR Education Exploring Uncharted Territories

In 1803, Lewis and Clark led an expedition into the Louisiana territory, which was recently purchased from France by President Thomas Jefferson. They did so, being fully aware that the expedition would not be easy but was necessary if future progress was to be made. Similarly, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, most people, like Lewis and Clark, found themselves in uncharted territories. From going to work, attending classes, and participating in conferences, all the rules changed overnight. The rules for HVAC Excellence’s National HVACR Educators and Trainers Conference also changed.

Putting everyone’s safety at the forefront of the event, HVAC Excellence made two important decisions. First, they chose to forgo their in-person 2021 event, in adherence with CDC guidelines. Second, they decided, for the good of the industry, to try something completely different to not only help instructors through these difficult times, but also provide educators with new and innovative solution for preparing and delivering content. Just like Lewis and Clark, HVAC Excellence found itself in uncharted territories. With no prepared and formal road map to follow, HVAC Excellence decided to explore, from a 21st century perspective, creative ways to incorporate professional development, some of which might not otherwise be possible at a live, in-person event.  

To create a well-rounded event, that will have broad appeal to the industry, HVAC Excellence solicited input from educators, manufacturers, publishers, trade associations, trainers, and wholesalers. Based on the great feedback they provided, a new format was created which allowed conference participants to attend all sessions, revisit many of them for another 120 days, on a schedule that works best for them. In addition, live demonstrations that are not possible at hotels and convention centers were incorporated. The HVAC Excellence team realized that this new format posed many challenges. 

Having spent countless hours mentoring and consulting with potential presenters, some of the 130 sessions truly hit the mark, while others might have missed the target. Some of the presenters saw this as an opportunity to reimagine training and move out of their comfort zone. Chemours, for example, provided a tour of their new R&D facility, which included demonstrations, giving conference participants insight into how a refrigerant is made. Fieldpiece Instruments discovered that they have an incredible lab located on the roof of their corporate offices, in Orange, California. While convention centers are not thrilled with the idea of open flames, Uniweld and NITC seized the opportunity to conduct live-fire demonstrations.

The HVAC Excellence team has received feedback from the nearly 1,000 individuals who participated in the event. While many loved the online format, others preferred a face-to-face event. As such, the most posed question was “Will the 2022 conference be held in-person, or online?” The short answer is YES! Just as instructors have learned to offer hybrid or blended programs, HVAC Excellence has learned that a blended conference is more effective in helping the industry. As planning for the 2022 event continues, HVAC Excellence fully anticipates offering face-to-face, in-person training at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, and additional professional development on the HVACR Learning Network. 

In closing, the HVAC Excellence team would like to thank the participating organizations, and their presenters, for making this event possible. The amazing presenters have spent months preparing the presentations that made up this event. HVAC Excellence would like to thank all of them for their hard work and dedication to HVACR education. When the need arises, please consider utilizing the services of those organizations who have a proven track record of supporting your professional development.