By GREGORY ZELLER //
An exclusive international grant is helping Suffolk County Community College provide high-skills HVAC training for an increasingly in-demand workforce.
Provided to only 10 U.S. community colleges by Irish conglomerate Johnson Controls, the Community College Partnership grant supports associate’s-degree and certification programs in heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as building-based fire/security and digital-automation systems – all areas where the U.S Bureau of Labor predicts an increasing need for skilled professionals over the next decade.
The $90,000 grant – which can be renewed annually up to three additional years – will fund state-of-the-art training simulators at SCCC, as well a “guided mentoring program” led by Johnson Controls employees. Student scholarships are also on the board.
Grady Crosby: Empowering success.
Grady Crosby, vice president of public affairs and chief diversity officer for the Cork-based multinational manufacturer, said Johnson Controls “is proud to build upon our significant presence in Suffolk County” by awarding one of its 10 Community College Partnership grants to SCCC, which he ranked among “the country’s leading community colleges.”
“We believe the program will empower people to build lifelong careers that will transform their lives and their communities,” Crosby said in a statement. “Just as smart, healthy buildings are critical to our wellbeing, well-educated and trained technicians are crucial to keeping our environments operating safely and efficiently.”
Suffolk County Community College’s Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration program – which includes comprehensive courses focused on system design, diagnostics and servicing and offers hands-on training through internships and laboratory work – is grateful to have been chosen for the “transformative” grant, according to Sylvia Diaz, executive director of the Suffolk Community College Foundation.
“Johnson Controls’ award … aligns with our foundation’s mission is to support student access to a superior quality education and vocational skills training,” Diaz said, adding the grant would “provid[e] critical funding for students pursuing rewarding careers in the dynamic [HVAC/R] industry.”
