Industry instructors, educators, and teachers have the opportunity to get updated on industry trends, training, and new equipment at the 2009 HVACR & Plumbing Instructor Workshop, scheduled for March 11-13 at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, Va.

This event is sponsored by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA); the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) - Educational Foundation; Air Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Institute (AHRI); Council of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Educators (CARE); Heating, Airconditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI); North American Technician Excellence (NATE); Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES); SkillsUSA.

Among other topics, the recently revised regulations regarding the nation’s Registered Apprenticeship programs will be explored, clarified, and discussed at the event. According to Warren Lupson, director of education for AHRI, the new regulations from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administrations require the apprenticeship instructor to have training in specific teaching techniques, adult learning styles, as well as meeting the requirements of vocational-technical instructors following state requirements.

“There are also some provisions for what requirements are needed in order to be recognized as a subject matter expert,” said Lupson.

Lupson said the new regulation, issued just before 2008 concluded, changes requirements for apprenticeship instructors and states they “must have training in teaching techniques and adult learning styles, which may occur before or after the apprenticeship instructor has started to provide the related technical instruction.”

The revised regulations are designed to create more flexibility, improve quality, and increase accountability to keep pace with changes related to 21st century employment opportunities, he said.

“These regulations have been revised for the first time since 1977 to advance Registered Apprenticeship’s strengths in developing a skilled, competitive workforce for the 21st century global economy,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Brent R. Orrell. “The changes we are instituting through these new rules will create more options for employers and position Registered Apprenticeship to engage today’s growing industries, while ensuring the safety of apprentices and the quality of programs.”

The title for the workshop’s opening general session is: “How Green is Changing the Way We Train Future Technicians.” Heading the panel discussion will be Michael Honeycutt from ACCA. Other training sessions offered will be “IR Thermal Imaging;” “Teaching Combustion Venting,” “Teaching On-Rate for Fuel Fired Equipment;” “Scroll Compressors;” “Understanding Flexible Gas and Water Line Installations for Tankless Water Heaters, Appliances, and HVAC Units;” “Refrigeration Troubleshooting;” “Economizers - How to Teach How They Work;” “Teaching Duct Distribution and Air Flow;” “Teaching Equipment Design;” plus “Teaching Evacuation and Refrigerant Charging.”

At the closing general session, Floyd “Butch” Azbell, an HVACR instructor at Worcester Technical High School in Newark, Md., will be officially given his 2008 Best Instructor award, presented by AHRI and The NEWS.

For more information or to register, visit www.instructorworkshop.org.

Publication date: 01/26/2009