Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
About the Program
The design of the Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration program incorporates fundamentals and integrates new technologies and innovations of climate control systems for application in the real world. The output is a well-rounded technician who understands the importance of safety and soft skills such as attitude and good communications who possesses traditional technical skills in air conditioning, refrigeration and heating. The program is relevant, unique and state of the art in that it goes beyond the basics and introduces the student to new and emerging technologies in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration that allows buildings and systems to be operated more efficiently. Individuals satisfying program requirements have countless career opportunities in a variety of job classifications
AWARD TYPES: Associate of Applied Science, Certificate Level 1
AREA OF STUDY: Construction Industry & Manufacturing
Degrees and Certificates
Learn more about the Degrees and Certificates offered by this program by visiting the HCC Catalog.
Program Outcomes
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
Demonstrate knowledge of safety rules and regulations.
Demonstrate the proper selection, use, and maintenance of hand and power tools and measuring instruments used in HVAC and Refrigeration.
Demonstrate knowledge of HVAC and refrigeration controls.
Maintain/service/repair HVAC and Refrigeration equipment.
Troubleshoot HVAC and Refrigeration equipment.
Program Information
General Requirements
The design of the Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration program incorporates fundamentals and integrates new technologies and innovations of climate control systems for application in the real world. The output is a well-rounded technician who understands the importance of safety and soft skills such as attitude and good communications who possesses traditional technical skills in air conditioning, refrigeration and heating. The program is relevant, unique and state of the art in that it goes beyond the basics and introduces the student to new and emerging technologies in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration that allows buildings and systems to be operated more efficiently. Individuals satisfying program requirements have countless career opportunities in a variety of job classifications.
Students successfully completing any of the certificates listed below may apply a maximum of 21 semester hours towards an AAS degree in Construction Technology - Craft Management Specialization. For certificates with fewer than 21 semester hours, additional courses in Construction Technology, Business Administration, or other related disciplines may be required.
In addition, please note that a student may only earn one Occupational Skills Award (OSA) per academic year.
TSI testing required prior to first enrollment for all AAS degrees and Level II certificates.
Certification
HCC completers are positioned to outshine the competition when seeking employment or advancing in an existing career. In addition to receiving a certificate or degree, get certified by the National Center for Construction and Education Research (NCCER), HVAC Excellence or NATE.
- The Basic HVAC certificate is aligned with NCCER.
- The Advanced HVAC certificate is aligned with HVAC Excellence.
- The HVAC AAS degree is aligned with NATE and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
Students who take certain courses may also have the opportunity to receive OSHA 10 certification.
Industry Partners
Our program is driven by industry. We aim to exceed the needs of industry by continually seeking ways to improve. Our advisory committee is diverse and comprised of representatives from companies that are traditional, non-traditional, private and public. Our industry partners include:
- Carrier
- Century Supply
- Daiken
- Houston Independent School District
- Jackson Supply
- Johnson Controls
- Siemens
- York
- Yokogawa of North America
Texas Education Association (TEA) Industry Based Certification Resource
| Certification Name | TEA Resource Link | Third-Party Certification Agency | Third-Party Certification Agency Website |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Refrigerant Handling (EPA 608) |
https://tea.texas.gov |
ESCO Group | https://www.escogroup.org/training/epa608.aspx |
| Certification Name | TEA Resource Link | Third-Party Certification Agency | Third-Party Certification Agency Website |
|---|---|---|---|
|
NCCER Core Curricula |
https://tea.texas.gov/ |
NCCER | https://www.nccer.org/ |
| Certification Name | TEA Resource Link | Third-Party Certification Agency | Third-Party Certification Agency Website |
|---|---|---|---|
|
NCCER HVAC Level 1 |
https://tea.texas.gov/sites |
NCCER | https://www.nccer.org/ |
Licensure/Certification
2022-2023 Third-Party Licensure/Certification Exam Results
Occupational licensure and/or certification pass rates reported by academic calendar year (Sept. 1–Aug. 31).
| Program/Aligned Award | Agency Standard | HCC Standard | 2022-2023 Pass Rate (#Passed) | 2022-2023 Results |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration—ESCO Group | 70% | 75% | 86% (150) | Exceeds Expectations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration—OSHA | NA | 75% | 100% (8) | Exceeds Expectations |
Marketable Skills
Learn more about the marketable skills—skills valued by employers that can be applied in variety of work settings—so you can communicate these to potential employers. Click on the relevant award title below to see descriptions of marketable skills for that area.
Heating, Air Conditioning, & Refrigeration, A.A.S.
Heating, Air Conditioning, & Refrigeration - Advanced, C1
Career Opportunities
Explore real-time labor market data on occupations you may pursue post-graduation, offering insight into career opportunities, potential earnings, and job demand in the Greater Houston region.
For more in-depth information about this career and other career pathways, visit Career Coach.
Resources
Search for a Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Professor or request more information
Get in touch
Kris Asper
Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
Hours of Operation: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.