More than 130 industry educators and professionals recently gathered at the base of the picturesque Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, Colo., for the 2013 HVACR & Mechanical Conference for Education Professionals. But they were not there to admire the scenery or take in a round of golf — they were there to learn from each other and discuss ways to shape the future of the industry.
Over three days, conference-goers attended classes on subjects like how to teach hydrocarbons safety, how to teach commercial HVACR without a commercial lab, and how to most effectively instruct today’s generation of HVACR students. But the much broader underlying theme of the conference was the understanding that the industry, especially educators, must do something to attract new talent.