Why Should You Attend HVAC Excellences National Education Conference?

HVAC Excellence’s National Educators Conference has been running since 2007. Having been a member of the ESCO team since 2015, I have been involved with conference preparation for 9 years now. Over these 9 years, I have received many conference-related questions, some post-worthy, others not. I have cleaned up some of the language, changed the names, and condensed some responses to give you some insight into our event and why you should be joining us March 16 – 19, 2025 at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Enjoy!

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DEAR EUGENE: I hear a lot of talk about A2L refrigerants and consider myself up-to-date on the changes that are coming, as well as those that have already been put into effect. I regularly visit your A2Lfactcheck.blogspot.com blog to learn and keep current. What can I expect to learn at the 2025 conference that I don’t already know?

Sincerely,

Well-informed Refrigeranteur

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Dear Informed,?

I’m so glad you asked! This year, we have excited to announce that we have many new sessions and exhibitors to keep your brain engaged and entertained. With over 90 engaging sessions to choose from, nearly a dozen of them are geared specifically toward A2L and Low-GWP refrigerants. The majority of our sessions are brand new for 2025, and many of our industry-leading presenters will be joining us for the first time. Of course, you will also see some old familiar faces doing new things! Check out the full list of sessions online (visit escogroup.org and click on the conference link) to see what I mean. I hope to see you in Las Vegas in March!?

To learn more about the conference, visit us at escogroup.org and click on the conference link.

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DEAR EUGENE: My school administrator wants to know why an HVACR instructor would need professional development. He, on numerous occasions, has asked me what has changed in the HVACR industry in the last 30 years? By the way, my administrator has his PhD in Pre World War I History and religiously attends an annual conference on Pre World War I History to keep “up-to-date” on what’s new in Pre World War I History.

Sincerely,

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up, But Then Again, Who Knows?

Dear YCMTSUBTAWK (Nice Acronym),

I’m not an expert on pre World War I history, but I’m certain that there have been more changes in the HVACR industry within the last 30 days than in the past 30 years of pre World War I history. While World War I history hasn’t changed since, well, the end of World War I, the HVACR industry is changing almost daily. So, the short answer to your question about what has changed in our industry over the past 30 years is “EVERYTHING!”

The industry that HVACR training program completers are entering now is vastly different than the one we worked in only a few short years ago. Many HVACR instructors in the classroom today have never worked on the technologies they are expected to teach! Manufacturers are connecting equipment to the cloud to enable remote monitoring and diagnostics. Inverter driven technologies are raising the bar as we move from a single-speed industry to a modulating, load-matching one. Controls, sensors, mini-split systems, compressor technology, instrumentation, design tools, refrigerant technologies, and system management are just some of the areas that have undergone ground-breaking advancements over the past few years. Instructors simply cannot teach what they don’t know.

This conference is a great opportunity for instructors to get the professional development they need to stay up-to-date on new and emerging technologies and to keep their program relevant in this ever-changing industry.

To learn more about the conference and view our list of over 90 engaging sessions, visit us at escogroup.org and click on the conference link.

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DEAR EUGENE: I am spending countless hours trying to accomplish all the tasks required to successfully run my program. I just don’t have the time to attend the conference. Will attending this conference will be worth my time, or will it simply be a waste of it?

Sincerely,

Why Do I Teach Like I’m Running out of Time (Hamilton Wanna Be)?

Dear Wanna Be,

At some point in their careers, most HVACR instructors have felt the same way. Many instructors feel that they are on their own and have to reinvent the wheel. This is simply not the case. This conference attracts over 1,000 participants and provides you with the opportunity to meet other instructors who share your sentiments. These dedicated individuals are ready, willing and able to share their knowledge and experiences with you. In addition, manufacturers, authors, subject matters experts and other industry leaders attend the event to help you build and maintain a successful program. Of course, you will get out of the conference what you put in. To maximize your experience and ensure that you get out of it what you want, you must be an active participant. We hope to see you there.

To learn more about the conference and view our list of over 90 engaging sessions, visit us at escogroup.org and click on the conference link.

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DEAR EUGENE: I have been in the industry for many years and have a limited budget for professional development. Why should I attend this conference, as I have options to take classes locally?

Sincerely,

No Money to Invest in Myself?

Dear Money,

The conference presenters are manufacturers, authors, subject matter experts, and other industry leaders who have created each session?specifically?for HVACR instructors, providing you an experience you simply cannot find elsewhere. You’ll learn about hot button topics in our industry, but also how to deliver this content. Remember, attending training sessions intended for instructors is very different from training intended for technicians. As an instructor, you require more in-depth content so that you can, in turn, deliver the content more effectively to your students. Additionally, if you have been out of the industry for a while, there is a good chance you have not had the opportunity to see the latest technologies. In addition to attending training sessions, you will have the opportunity to network with other like-minded, forward-thinking individuals on the front line of HVACR education. Investing in yourself is one of the best things you can do!

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DEAR EUGENE: If I attend the conference, should I take time to visit the exposition hall? Aren’t they just there to see me stuff?

Sincerely,

Expo’d Out

Dear Expo,

In many cases and at many events, exhibitors are there to sell product. However, this event is very different. The organizations that exhibit at our conference are there to help you meet your educational goals. The people you’ll meet in person will very likely be the people you speak to on the phone, seen online, or have written the textbooks you use in your program. The exposition hall allows you to get answers directly from the source, learn about new innovations and technologies, as well as forge relationships that can help you get technical assistance, explore guest speaker opportunities, obtain equipment/tool discounts and donations and much more. If you don’t attend the expo, you are doing yourself a huge disservice. See you there!

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DEAR EUGENE: Will any of your classes cover ways an instructor can better engage students to help improve the learning process?

Sincerely,

Looking to Engage?

Dear Looking,

Our 2025 conference offers over ninety, and several them cover a wide variety of teaching techniques. Many sessions are geared toward new instructors, but will also appeal to the seasoned professional. I invite you to view the full list of sessions online (visit escogroup.org and click on the conference link). I know you will find what you’re looking for. Keep in mind that all of these sessions are created and geared toward those on the front line of HVACR training and education.

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DEAR EUGENE: I am an HVACR contractor. I have read information about the conference but am not sure if this event will benefit me, as I am not an instructor. Will this conference help me? If so, how?

Sincerely,

Wrench Turner?

Dear Turner,

Of course, you will benefit from this event! You might have noticed that we recently changed the name of our event from the “educators conference to the “education conference”. Sneaky, huh? One of the reasons for this change was the increase in the number of contractors who attend our event. In 2024, for example, we had over 1200 registrants for the conference, and over 10% of them identified as contractors. Keep in mind that there are over 90 sessions on a wide range of HVACR-related topics. Some of these sessions focus on emerging technologies, while others are geared specifically to content-delivery techniques. You might think that the teaching methodologies sessions do not apply to you, but think again! If you conduct in-house training at your company, or even if you conduct short informational sessions with a technician or two, you will definitely benefit from the information our presenters have to share. What makes this conference so special and unique is that each attendee has the opportunity to create a unique experience that best matches their needs and expectations for the event. With over 90 sessions to choose from, you get to plan your own schedule to maximize your experience!

To learn more about the conference and view our list of over 90 engaging sessions, visit us at escogroup.org and click on the conference link.