Occupational Endorsement Certificate in Refrigeration and Heating
The Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC) in Refrigeration and Heating prepares
participants in a time period as short as 9 months with the technical skills required
to install, diagnose, and repair modern commercial and residential heating, ventilation,
air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R) systems. Here, you can develop your ability
to understand complex systems through class work and hands-on exercises, working with
gas burners, oil burners, refrigeration systems, air conditioners, hydronic systems,
ventilation systems, and heat pumps. Towards this end, we have significant equipment
on-site, including furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, small refrigeration systems, a chiller,
a RTU, a walk-in cooler, an ammonia refrigeration system, a hydronic heating system,
and a small sheet metal shop. Graduates from the R&H OEC at Mat-Su College have many
career opportunities, can specialize in specific areas, and often graduate with a
job in hand.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with an Occupational Endorsement Certificate in Refrigeration & Heating will be able to:
- Apply the fundamental laws of physics related to the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVAC/R) industry.
- Understand and describe the function of individual components that make up HVAC/R systems.
- Work safely with tools, torches, electricity, refrigerants, heating fuels, and other equipment and material associated with HVAC/R work.
- Follow work practices that are environmentally responsible.
- Systematically troubleshoot HVAC/R systems.
- Apply municipal, state, and national mechanical codes to decisions involving the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of HVAC/R systems.
| Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| RH A101 | Refrigeration and Air Conditioning I | 4 |
| RH A105 | Electrical Circuits for Refrigeration and Heating | 3 |
| RH A107 | Fundamentals of Heating | 4 |
| RH A109 | HVAC/R Codes | 1 |
| RH A122 | Refrigeration and Air Conditioning II | 4 |
| RH A124 | HVAC/R Distribution Systems | 4 |
| RH A126 | HVAC/R Control Systems | 3 |
| RH A132 | HVAC/R Troubleshooting Essentials | 1 |
| Total | 24 | |
A minimum of 24 credits are required for the OEC.
Licensure and/or Certification
As part of the OEC in Refrigeration and Heating, students sit for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Section 608 certification exam and the ESCO Institute Employment Ready Gas Heating certification exam. The EPA 608 Certification is a federal nationwide requirement for working with or handling most refrigerants.