Victoria College Gonzales Center opens HVAC classroom

The Victoria College Gonzales Center hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, April 27, for the opening of the Bill Ruddock Workforce Training Classroom.

The classroom will be dedicated to the Heating, Ventilation, Air Condition (HVAC) courses and under the instruction of Dean Seitz.

“I teach anybody that wants to learn air conditioning and the basics, plus I grew up on it, we have a basic form we go off of NCCR certification,” Seitz said.

Seitz and his students work on projects together, and he said together they have taken different parts from different AC units and “made one out of five” AC units.

“We did a hydronic dehumidifier with a water side condenser, with a cooling tower for total display. And my students did all the calculations themselves. I am pointing in the direction and watching, but I'll let them do it themselves,” Sietz said.

Seitz is excited to have the new classroom for the HVAC program, and he knows there’s a big demand in the field.

“I've been in the business now for 38 years. Right now, there's 600,000 jobs, just for air conditioning people. The trades area — a lot of people don't want to do it. I don't know why; it's very lucrative. To me it's fun. You're not stuck working in a building all day. You might be on top of it, underneath it, but you’re not inside it all day,” Seitz said.

Seitz has worked with lots of students during his 10 years with Victoria College and has seen many students excel after attending the program.

“One of my students right now is with the Trane Corporation. Eight years ago, he worked at H-E-B; right now he's one of the top roubleshooters for Trane Corporation. And he started out here and I threw the ball; he just kept running with it and he never looked back,” Seitz said.

“HVAC courses are taught by experienced professionals. VC partners with IMSEF, an NCCER Accredited Training Sponsor, to provide NCCER certification to all students who successfully complete our Core Curriculum and HVAC training,” said Melissa Robinson, assistant manager of the VC Gonzales Center.

Illustrated instructional materials and structured classroom activities include: Trade mathematics, Copper and plastic piping practices, Soldering and brazing, Commercial airside systems chimneys, vents, and flues, Introduction to the hydronic systems, Air quality equipment, A study of refrigerants and oils, Compressors, Metering devices, Retail refrigeration systems, Construction drawings and specifications, System balancing, Indoor air quality, Energy conservation equipment and Building management systems.

VC Gonzales Center will have core classes in August and new HVAC classes beginning this September.

For more information, visit the campus at 424 E Sarah DeWitt; contact (830) 672-6251 and email: GonzalesCenter@victoriacollege.edu.