Robinson is the 40th instructor to successfully pass enough exams to achieve the title of CMHE. It is the highest credential that can be conferred upon an HVACR educator by HVAC Excellence, a not for profit organization created in 1994 to improve the technical competency of the HVACR industry.

Having served in Viet Nam for the U.S. Air Force, Robinson went on to receive his formal training in HVACR from Cedar Valley College in Dallas. He spent the last 15 years as an instructor with the Lincoln College of Technology.

“After years of industry training and experience, becoming a CMHE validates my passion for teaching others about the HVACR industry,” said Robinson.

When seasoned professionals elect to transition into the world of education, they are expected to have a better understanding of the technologies and the theory that supports them than a technician in the field or the students they will serve, said HVAC Excellence. To enable instructors to verify the depth of their knowledge and ability to relate subject matter effectively, the organization developed specialized educator credentialing exams.

To validate that HVACR instructors have mastered their subject matter, they take Certified Subject Matter Educator (CSME) exams. CSME is conferred upon those who have met their state’s requirements for instructors and the standards of competency in a specific subject as established by HVAC Excellence (e.g., Certified Heat Pump Educator).

In order to have the title of Certified Master HVACR Educator (CMHE), an instructor needs to successfully pass the following CSME exams with a score of 80 percent or higher. The exams are: Electrical, Air Conditioning, Light Commercial Air Conditioning, Light Commercial Refrigeration, Electric Heat and either Gas Heat, Oil Heat, or Heat Pumps. Additionally, to earn the title of CMHE an instructor must pass the Capstone exam which covers technical education methodologies, principles, and practices, attesting to the instructor’s pedagogical skills.

Publication date: 6/18/2012