Apprentice Steamfitters Use Donated Cooling Tower for Hands-on Training and Troubleshooting
Real-world cooling equipment enables high level of instruction
When the Steamfitters United Association (UA) Local No. 602 Mechanical Trades School needed equipment to use in its apprenticeship program, a major industrial and mechanical equipment distributor fulfilled the entire wish list through manufacturer donations. The equipment, including a Marley® NC cooling tower, donated by SPX Cooling Technologies, enables the school to present students with a real-world environment. Instructors use the complete new cooling system to teach students how to troubleshoot and fix problems with HVAC systems.
Steamfitters UA Local No. 602 Mechanical Trades School recently expanded and renovated its training facilities. The union, which represents journeymen, apprentices, and helpers working in the heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and process piping industries, sought equipment donations to outfit the school and help with its apprenticeship training mission. The school, with training centers in Landover, Maryland, and Springfield, Virginia, offers a five-year apprenticeship and trains a diverse group of more than 700 students aged 19-70.