![\"HVAC](\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2019\/09\/ACR-Lab-5-of-7-1024x683.jpg\")
The ACR program launched during the current Fall 2019 semester, with enrollment of more than 120 students across four classes covering mechanical, electrical, heating and air conditioning systems. The new classroom and state-of-the-art lab are in adjoining rooms, and are outfitted with the latest technology for students to develop cutting-edge skill sets.<\/p>\n
\u201cDemand is really quite high, because there\u2019s very little training out there,\u201d said Kirk. \u201cAnd these are transferable skills\u2014you learn electrical systems, automation, and controls involving computers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lisa Profeta, one of the first students to enroll, came to Palomar already employed full-time as a facilities manager for a local biotech company. She said she learned basic maintenance on the job\u2014with some 53 HVAC units under her care\u2014but sought out Palomar\u2019s ACR program to make herself more valuable in the workforce.<\/p>\n
\u201cI now have a marketable skill that looks good on my resume and gives me wider job opportunities,\u201d Profeta said. \u201cI love the program so far. It\u2019s a mixture of lecture, theory and hands-on. Both of my instructors have been in the field for decades.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my field, there are all types of systems that require refrigeration,\u201d she went on, explaining that she enrolled to learn more about how these commercial units work: \u201cHow to diagnose, troubleshoot and repair them, which ultimately will save my company money.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2019\/09\/ACR-Lab-4-of-7-1024x683.jpg\")
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Kirk said the technical skills have become increasingly important in the HVAC industry in recent years: \u201cNow, everything\u2019s automated and you work off your iPad or iPhone, so it\u2019s a high-tech industry that requires a lot of skills. Most people really underestimate what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kirk has taught in the heating and air conditioning trade for two decades, and helped design the new ACR program.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love it,\u201d Kirk said of being in the classroom at Palomar. \u201cThe new generation is hungry for knowledge and to learn the skills. It\u2019s a good group of people.\u201d<\/p>\n
[vimeo 361189350 w=640 h=360]<\/p>\n
Palomar College – ACR Program Promo<\/a> from Palomar TV<\/a> on Vimeo<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Career education program at Palomar\u2019s Escondido Education Center gives students the option of a \u201cworkforce ready\u201d certificate in as little as six months, a full Certificate of Achievement, or an Associate of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10413,"featured_media":3766,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[19,9,23,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-carousel","category-features","category-home","category-slider"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n