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How long does it take to complete the Program?
There are 14 courses required to complete the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program for a Certificate. Students that participate in the mornings can complete the Program in 1 academic year, depending on how many courses can be taken at a time. Evening students can also complete in 2 years, but due to most students working while attending school, they may take as long as 3 academic years.
What is the job outlook for the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry?
The State of California is predicting a need for at least 22,000 new technicians by the year 2014. The industry will need many more technicians due to the large amount of baby boomers that will also be retiring in the next 10 – 15 years. Due to energy demands and environmental changes, technicians are faced with an increasing work load. The growth pattern for this industry has not stopped for decades and will only increase in the foreseeable future. Building automation is a relatively new field that has just begun to require a demand for technicians and will only increase in numbers due to energy issues and equipment development utilizing computers and controllers.
The industry will be experiencing a severe shortage of technicians in the near future that will allow opportunities for students currently enrolled or that will enroll in the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program.
What does an air conditioning or refrigeration technician's job include?
An air conditioning or refrigeration service technician will travel to job sites either in new construction or in service applications to install, maintain, service or repair equipment. Many technicians work in the residential and small commercial field while others work in large commercial or industrial field. All fields require a technician to have a clean driving record as they will probably be assigned a company vehicle. Technicians that have good skills and knowledge will work a lot of overtime because the work load is high, or in the instance of repairing a unit that is down in a office environment or store unit, it must be fixed immediately and the technician must stay until the unit is up and running again. Service is required for all aspects of our lives including grocery stores, office buildings, state, county and city buildings, hospitals, schools, homes, stores, and just about all buildings. It also includes refrigeration of warehouses for food and the freezing of food and other applications.
How much can I earn as an Air Conditioning or Refrigeration Technician?
Currently, an entry level technician may earn as much as $14 - $ 18 per hour. Skill levels will allow technicians to increase their income quickly. Experienced technicians can make as much as $30 per hour plus overtime and benefits. Larger companies tend to pay more with more benefits than smaller companies. Pay and benefits vary among companies. Technicians working in the field can make $60,000 per year or more depending on overtime.
Do I have to take all the courses before I can work in the industry?
No. Recommendations are that students complete about half of the courses in the Program before seeking employment. Oftentimes students can obtain employment before that and succeed. The entry level courses will lay a foundation for application in employment in the industry. Employers recommend students continue in school to complete the Program which leads to greater success. Many contractors and employers send their students to the Program and will often pay for expenses upon successful completion of a course or the entire Program.
Does the Program offer job placement?
Mt. SAC has a job opportunity program that includes jobs in the field. The Program also lists job opportunities as contractors and/or employers call and request candidates. Those opportunities are posted on a board in the lab. The AIRC 34 course includes a project to develop a good resume to help students find employment working with experienced resume writers from the College.
Are there any certifications required to work in the Refrigeration industry?
Currently, there are no requirements or certifications required to work in the air conditioning and refrigeration industry. A Certificate from the Mt. SAC Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program is respected within the industry and helps to further a career. Staff recommends students complete the Program to obtain a Certificate and work in the industry and then return to the College to work on an Associate Degree in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration.
An EPA or Environmental Protection Agency Type 608 Certification is required to handle refrigerants. The Certification allows technicians to purchase, handle and manipulate refrigerants per the Federal Clean Air Act. The Program offers the test at least twice a year for $50.00. It is not a part of the curriculum. It is a federal offense to work with refrigerants without a Certification except when working with refrigerants in the College Program.
What benefits can I obtain by taking the Program?
A Certificate from the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program at Mt. SAC is widely recognized in Southern California. The Program is the only PAHRA (Partnership for Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Accreditation) program in California. It will help in seeking employment and for advancement in a job.
An Associate Degree in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration leads to management and supervisorial positions within the industry. Contractors and employers recognize the extra efforts technicians make when completing a degree. Those credentials usually lead to added responsibilities such as lead persons, supervisors or managers.
A Bachelor Degree is available in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration from Ferris University in Big Rapids, Michigan. The program is available on line and requires an Associate Degree as an entry level requirement. This Program leads to engineering and design within the industry.
What do I have to do to enroll?
You must follow the College application process. You must apply to Mt. SAC online. Students are advised to register as soon as possible after their registration date and time as the Program is experiencing a large demand for courses and courses fill fast.
What courses should I take first?
The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program is structured in a numerical order. The entry level AIRC courses are AIRC 10 through AIRC 25. Students may register for any of these courses to enter the Program. AIRC 26A through AIRC 39 are considered advanced level courses and recommended advisory prerequisite entry level courses should be completed first.
If the class is full, what can I do?
The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program is experiencing a huge demand for courses and they fill quickly. If you register and the computer says it is full, ask Admissions about when the wait list is created and then call in then and register again to get on the wait list. If you cannot get on the wait list, you must show up for the first day of class and request admission from the professor. You must bring all registration paperwork from the College to help the professor determine priority for students and their registration dates and times to allow students into the course if space allows. Professors cannot allow students into the class early as add slips are not printed until a few days before the course starts and they are not allowed to issue them early.
What are the courses required for the certificate?
All courses in the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program are required for the Certificate except the Work Experience Courses. There are 14 required courses from AIRC 10 through AIRC 39. Course descriptions are available on the web page and semester schedules. Equivalencies may be issued for similar courses taken elsewhere if they fill the requirements for the Mt. SAC Air Conditioning and Refrigeration courses. Consult the Department Chair for equivalencies.
Are all classes offered each semester?
No. AIRC 20 and 25 are the only courses offered each semester. All other courses are offered once a year in either the Fall or Spring semesters or the Winter Intersession. Summer courses are sometimes offered.
Can I visit the facilities before I enroll?
Yes. Use the contact information on the course description handout or from the program information sheet to find the phone numbers of the faculty and staff. All faculty and staff will be glad to set up a time and date to give a tour and answer questions. Staff work every work day from 6:30 am to 3:30 pm and are usually at the facility. Faculty is usually on campus in the mornings or evenings during the semesters and during office hours. During the Intercessions faculty will only be there for courses they teach during that time and their office hours.
How much does it cost for the Program?
The State of California determines the cost per unit for Community College courses. Currently, the cost is set at $26.00 per unit. All courses have a unit number assigned to them determined by the length and amount of lecture and lab time. There is also a Health Fee of $16 per semester that allows students free medical advice and care for minor medical problems. A Student Activities Fee of $11.00 per semester is also required. Finally, a Parking Fee is required if you drive your vehicle and park it on campus which is $35.00 per semester. The intercessions have reduced fees due to the short time period for courses. Additional costs include books, welding materials, templates, safety glasses, calculators and other items that will be required for individual courses.
Do I need a high school diploma or GED to start the program?
Students entering the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program do not need a high school diploma or GED. This is a vocational program that leads to employment in the air conditioning and refrigeration industry. There are, however, certain skill levels for reading and math that are required. Mt. SAC has supplemental education programs to help increase math and reading skills. Individual help is available through a training center in the Division building. Consult the instructor if additional skills or help is needed.
How is the Refrigeration program structured?
The Program is structured for students that have no background in air conditioning or refrigeration. The course numbers reflect a progression of classes students must follow. For example, beginning or entry level courses start with the 10 series and 20 series up to AIRC 25 while advanced courses are AIRC 26A and higher. Prerequisites recommend courses that should be completed before attempting to take the course the prerequisites are listed for.
Most courses feature a lecture and lab presentation that requires students to complete hands-on lab assignments for completion. The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program has a new dedicated building, that include 4 classrooms. There is an electrical classroom/lab, a mechanical lecture classroom, a utility classroom, and a computer classroom for advanced courses. The building also incorporates a large and diverse amount of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment where students will work on and diagnose the equipment. Labs include electrical schematic drawings and circuit construction, mechanical labs where students work on operating equipment, manipulating refrigerants and obtaining vital signs from the machines, pneumatics labs, and a computer lab where students will design duct systems, calculate heat loads and program a building automation simulation with mockup variable air volume duct systems.
The College uses a Fall and Spring 16 week semester format, with 6 week Winter and Summer Intercessions in between the semesters.
Do I need tools for labs?
Personal tools are allowed, but a system that integrates tool chips assigned to students allows them to check out the Program's large quantity of assorted tools required for the courses. There is no fee required for the tool chips. Ten chips are assigned to each student with a number on them. The students present a chip for each tool that is needed for the labs. Tools such as gauges, thermometers, VOM meters, amprobes, hand tools, and other equipment are available.
Are there any Prerequisites required to enter the program?
Students should have good math and reading skills along with mechanical abilities. Math skills should be at a basic Algebra level. AIRC 10 will teach those skills and individual help is also available to bring skills up to the required level. Reading skills needed are for textbook and assignment reading and comprehension including reading of instructions required for homework and lab assignments. Mechanical skills can be developed and good reasoning skills are also needed. The refrigeration technician will need mechanical, reasoning, math and reading skills to succeed.
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