NASRC Completes Climate-Friendly Refrigeration Training Program for Trade Schools

The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) has successfully concluded its Train the Trainer pilot program, which aims to train HVACR school faculty in climate-friendly refrigeration technologies. Supported by the SoCalGas Climate Champions Grant, the program addresses a technician shortage as supermarkets shift from high global warming potential refrigerants.

The HVACR industry faces a challenge with insufficient training in supermarket refrigeration and natural refrigerants. NASRC's initiative seeks to bridge this gap by preparing faculty to teach these skills, essential for a sustainable future. Morgan Vanzo, NASRC senior director, stated the program's goal is to integrate sustainable refrigeration into HVACR education, creating a skilled workforce.

Launched in January 2024, the program provided both online and field training on supermarket and CO2 refrigeration systems, culminating in a two-day session at the CoolSys training center in Fullerton, California, in August. Thirteen faculty members from seven schools participated, reporting significant improvement in their knowledge.

NASRC is working with two schools to expand their curriculum to include more in-depth refrigeration training, and other schools have shown interest. The council aims to extend this educational initiative to more regions, supporting faculty education development beyond the current grant.