Grant helps Georgia college strengthen propane curriculum

The Air Conditioning Technology program at Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) received a $5,000 grant from the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).

PERC awards grants to winning technical and community colleges for teaching approved propane curriculum from the council, using propane equipment for laboratory instruction and encouraging students to get Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) certification. SRTC was the only college in Georgia to receive the grant.

Dan Richardson of Conger LP Gas, right, presents the Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) with a $5,000 grant from the Propane Education & Research Council. From left are SRTC Air Conditioning Technology faculty Glenn Mobley and program Chair Mike Clements. (Photo courtesy of Southern Regional Technical College)

“We are getting requests for liquefied petroleum gas technicians on a regular basis,” says SRTC’s Air Conditioning Technology Program Chair Mike Clements. “Students who graduate with hands-on training in propane will have access to more career opportunities after graduation.”

While a propane curriculum was part of the college’s existing training model, Clements says, it has not had access to top LP gas training equipment until now.

“Thanks to this grant, we now have a full setup of LP gas tank, lines and connections in our classroom lab,” he says.

Clements used the funds to purchase a new LP gas conversion kit, an air compressor, run gas supply lines, a gas furnace, a hydrometer and new textbooks. In addition, PERC furnished two new gas pressure regulator boards so that students at both SRTC-Moultrie and SRTC-Thomasville would have access to the hands-on training tools.

“American companies are facing an increasing shortage of skilled service technicians, and that includes the propane industry,” says Dan Richardson, president and CEO of Conger LP Gas, who serves on SRTC’s Air Conditioning Technology Advisory Board and is a PERC council member. “As our industry continues to grow, the demand for a trained workforce will also climb. This grant program is designed to help prepare more graduates for vital, rewarding careers in our industry.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers in southern Georgia is $20 per hour. The Air Conditioning Technology program at SRTC is a three-semester course of study. The program emphasizes a combination of air conditioning theory and practical application.