Delaware Tech dedicates Trane Center of Excellence
The Delaware Tech Terry Campus has partnered with Trane and the National Coalition of Certification Centers to create the Trane Center of Excellence, a specialized lab and classroom that is home to the college’s building automation systems program and will also support credit and noncredit students in their pursuits of nationally recognized NC3 certifications.
Funding for the center was provided by U.S. Department of Labor grants from Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training initiatives. An official dedication ceremony for the center took place Oct. 29, during the annual Terry Campus Donor Appreciation Luncheon.
In addition to the lab, Delaware Tech and Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, collaborated on new curriculum and certifications around BAS. Only a handful of community colleges across the country offer a BAS associate degree program, and it is only offered in Delaware on the Delaware Tech Terry Campus.
“There is a need for highly skilled technicians who can install, program, maintain and service the computerized control systems and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems used in today’s high-performance buildings,” said Dr. June Turansky, campus director and college vice president. “The Trane Center of Excellence will allow us to properly prepare our students to be job ready upon graduation or completion of their certificate program.”
“This program will enable students to train on the latest technology used by the industry, helping them to gain the skills needed for high-demand, technically advanced careers,” said Shawn Doherty, sales leader at Seiberlich Trane Energy Services.
Patrick Archambault, Trane director of strategic programs, said, “Trane is proud to be the NC3 sponsor for energy management and help students gain the necessary skills to be successful in technical careers.”
The lab provides easily accessible commercial air handling units, a boiler and chiller, with work stations that allow students to connect a diagnostic laptop to each control system. Instructors can run various simulations on the systems to help students learn how to communicate with the system, interpret messages within the system, make modifications, perform maintenance and best utilize the system for maximum benefit and efficiency.
The Terry Campus started offering its BAS associate degree program in fall 2014, following a survey of industries in the region conducted by Delaware Tech’s Center for Industry Research and Workforce Alignment that revealed a clear need for building control technicians and provided the data-driven evidence necessary to launch the program.
For more information, contact Jennifer Clemons at 302-857-1308 or jclemons@dtcc.edu.
