Johnson College began its Heating Ventilation and Air (HVAC) Conditioning Technology Degree program 14 years ago.
The first class had 14 graduates.
“We currently have 28 second year and 57 first year students in the HVAC department," said Walter Wood, the HVAC program director. Wood graduated in that first class.
Under a tent on campus, current students in the two-year programs pulled down a plastic tarp and blue and gray curtains to unveil plans for the new facility, Bracey Hall. It will house the HVAC and electrical construction technology programs.
“As our enrollment continues to increase and we develop more interdisciplinary curriculums ... we're outgrowing our lab space," said Wood. "This expansion will help take us into the future by providing more space to accommodate even more students in our classes and labs, which means more graduates to meet industries demand.”
The project will expand the Woolworth Hall facility and rename it after the Bracey Family. They own and operate grocery stores and other businesses in the region and provided funding for the new facility. The college also received a grant from the state.
Wood said the technology is changing and senior technicians are retiring.
"It's just the demand of all of the newest, latest and greatest technology that's coming out," said Wood. "Systems are increasing in efficiency and we're updating and trying to meet those needs and fill industries demand."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, HVAC technician and electrician employment are both expected to increase by 6% through 2032," said Katie Leonard, Ed.D., president and CEO of Johnson College.
The college’s enrollment is at record numbers for the fifth year in a row, she said. They’re also in the midst of a five-year capital campaign called Innovation at Work.
"As the world of technology continues to change rapidly, Johnson College, the region's only technical college, must change with it," said Leonard. "Our facilities must remain in sync with industry as new technologies, emerging fields of study and more sophisticated equipment modernize how the world does business."
For more details, visit johnson.edu.
