HVAC program earns prestigious industry accreditation

Brooklyn Park, Aug. 4, 2022 – Hennepin Technical College (Hennepin Tech) has earned accreditation from HVAC Excellence, an industry organization that establishes national standards for institutions that offer education in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR).

"Having the unique opportunity to visit HVACR educational programs from across North America, I found Hennepin Technical College HVACR programs at Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie excellent facilities for others to emulate. The commercial refrigeration program at the Eden Prairie campus is an excellent facility to prepare students for success in supermarket refrigeration." Steven H. Allen, LEED AP, CSME, Accreditation Specialist.

What is programmatic accreditation?

It is an independent, third-party review of an educational program, comparing it to established, industry-accepted standards. These standards are designed to ensure that the future workforce receives the quality training required for success in the HVACR industry.

To pursue this accreditation, the college completed a detailed, comprehensive self-study that demonstrated compliance with each of the required standards. The self-study was then sent to HVAC Excellence, where an accreditation review board thoroughly assessed the submission.

The accreditation review board, having approved the self-study, sent a team to conduct an intense, onsite review of the program. The onsite team was tasked with validating compliance with all the established standards and the accuracy of the self-study. The onsite team consists of two members, one who has served

They are seasoned professionals that have the knowledge, training, and experience to successfully evaluate every aspect of an HVACR program.

Upon a thorough review of all the documentation presented by the administration, faculty, and the onsite accreditation team, the HVAC Excellence accreditation review board unanimously decided to grant accreditation of the program.

Benefits of Programmatic Accreditation

As a nationally accredited institution, the following benefits can be realized.

• The college can assure prospective students and employer partners that the program has met or exceeded national standards and has the resources and administrative support to professionally train the workforce.
• This helps enhance student placement and employer satisfaction, and may lead to advanced placement opportunities with major employers in the HVACR industry such as Johnson Controls, Carrier Commercial, SIEMENS, and EMCOR.
• In addition, through an articulation agreement, graduates of the program may qualify for advanced placement in the United Association's Department of Labor approved apprenticeship program.

About Hennepin Technical College
Founded in 1972, Hennepin Technical College is the largest stand-alone technical college in Minnesota. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, the college offers degree and non-degree courses in over 40 programs. Achieving a high job placement rate, Hennepin Tech prepares students for in-demand and high-paying employment opportunities.