Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut Calif. has just graduated its first HVAC/Mechanical Controls Class using building controls Training Modules and products contributed by Siemens Building Technologies Division. The program was developed for the school by Rick Creed of Air-Ex Air Conditioning in Pomona, a Siemens Value-Added Partner.
The program which falls under the Industrial and Welding Departments at the college was funded under a grant by the California Department of Labor. Currently the course is offered as a government program only to those either underemployed or unemployed. According to Creed however, the college is planning on financing the program itself in mid-2012 and intends to offer it to all students.
The program course work is based on Siemens BACnet Training Modules as well as controls and other Siemens Talon product line devices. Classes are held in a dedicated building that offers five zones to simulate different buildings and building HVAC control issues. The facility enables students not only to learn programming but also installation techniques and controls troubleshooting in a real-world environment.
The entire program is a two year process. Once enrolled, students go through five phases of training—not only at Mt. San Antonio but also at two other colleges: Chaffey College and Rio Hondo College in Rancho Cucamonga and Pico Rivera, Calif. respectively. During the course, students are treated as if they were employed full time, exposed to a real-world working environment which includes an interview process to enter the program. Upon graduation the students receive an Associate’s Degree in Mechanical and Industrial Arts. BD+C
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