DCTC partners with Johnson Controls and St. Paul Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455
Manee Yang
The Commercial HVAC & Refrigeration diploma program at Dakota County Technical College was established two years ago from a private grant through the Johnson Controls Community College Partnership Program (CCPP).
Manee Yang, a program navigator at the college, reported that the diploma program has enhanced educational pathways for student success across North America by providing financial support and industry mentorship.
“DCTC is one of thirty two-year colleges participating in CCPP,” Manee said, “and we have so far provided $78,395 in scholarships to students in our Commercial HVAC/Refrigeration diploma program. The partnership we have established with Johnson Controls and St. Paul Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455 has made such a positive impact on student academic success while increasing access to career pathways.”
This one-year, accelerated, 38-credit diploma gets students ready for the field as commercial HVAC technicians. Specific pathways for students after graduation include:
- Be employed with the St. Paul Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455
- Explore other HVAC employment—residential or commercial
- Complete second year of the DCTC 60-credit HVAC & Refrigeration A.A.S. degree program
Manee noted that funding for scholarships and the program navigator for the Commercial HVAC/R diploma program will end as of June 2026. However, the diploma program and industry partnership will remain in the college’s academic profile.
“In our first cohort, 2024–2025, we had a ninety percent graduation rate,” Manee said. “Of those students who graduated, fifty percent joined St. Paul Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455; forty percent of our graduates are working in the residential HVAC industry or other similar industries. Twenty percent were recognized with high honors in both semesters of the program.”
Commercial HVAC/R class gallery
More about the Commercial HVAC/R diploma program…
This is a high-demand program—APPLY EARLY.
Contact Program Navigator Manee Yang for more information.
Through the college’s partnership with St. Paul Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455 and Johnson Controls, the Commercial HVAC & Refrigeration diploma program prepares you for a career in heating, ventilation, air conditioning ,and refrigeration (HVAC/R) with a focus on commercial systems. You will gain hands-on experience in the following areas:
- Safety procedures
- Thermal dynamics
- Electrical fundamentals
- Motor technology
- Refrigerant handling
- Pipefitting
- System troubleshooting
The St. Paul Steamfitters / Pipefitters Training Center is equipped with the latest commercial HVAC/R technology, including welding labs, refrigeration components, and commercialized air conditioning units. The curriculum follows a structured sequence to build technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, and customer services expertise. As a program graduate, you will be prepared for industry certifications and entry-level positions in HVAC/R for installation, maintenance, and repair.
Transportation
As a student in the program, you will be attending classes Mondays through Fridays at the St. Paul Steamfitters / Pipefitters Training Center. You must be able to get to and from the training center on your own.
An interview with the St. Paul Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455 is required for acceptance into this 38-credit, one-year diploma program.
Diploma program outcomes
- Obtain section 608 Universal Certification by the EPA for refrigerant transition and recovery
- Interpret electrical concepts, procedures, and safety practices
- Successfully troubleshoot and repair HVAC/R equipment
- Develop communication skills with customers, coworkers, and employers
Learn more by visiting Consider a Future in Commercial HVAC.
Program Planning Guide (PDF)
Learn more about the Commercial HVAC & Refrigeration diploma program at DCTC by contacting:
Manee Yang
Program Navigator
manee.yang@dctc.edu
651-423-8293
Jim Stevens
Commercial HVAC Faculty
james.stevens@dctc.edu
Admissions
admissions@dctc.edu
651-423-8266
Room 2-110
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers is a Bright Outlook Occupation. 
Reported job titles
- A/C Tech (Air Conditioning Technician)
- HVAC Installer (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Installer)
- HVAC Mechanic (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Mechanic)
- HVAC Service Tech (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Service Technician)
- HVAC Specialist (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Specialist)
- HVAC Tech (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Technician)
- Refrigeration Mechanic; Refrigeration Operator
- Refrigeration Technician (Refrigeration Tech)
- Service Technician (Service Tech)
Hot Technologies are requirements most frequently included across all employer job postings. See all 8 Hot Technologies for this occupation.
WAGES
Minnesota
Workers on average earn $73,390.
10 percent of workers earn $47,080 or less.
10 percent of workers earn $94,420 or more.
United States
Workers on average earn $59,810.
10 percent of workers earn $39,130 or less.
10 percent of workers earn $91,020 or more.
2024 Wage Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Trends: Minnesota
Employment(2022): 4,980 employees
Projected employment(2032): 5,380 employees
Projected growth(2022–2032): 8 percent
Projected annual job openings(2022–2032): 470
Occupational Trends: United States
Employment(2024): 425,200 employees
Projected employment(2034): 459,700 employees
Projected growth(2024–2034): 8 percent — Much faster than average
Projected annual job openings (2024–2034): 40,100
Visit O*NET OnLine for comprehensive information about the occupation:
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
SOURCE: O*NET OnLine: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Special thanks to the team, campus partners, and industry partners
- Mike Mendez, DCTC Vice President of Academic Affairs
- Jeremy Clark, DCTC and Inver Hills Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Kimberly Shaff, DCTC and Inver Hills Executive Director of Foundations and Community Relations
- Courtney Kuntz, DCTC Dean of Transportation, Construction, and Manufacturing
- Jim Stevens, DCTC Commercial HVAC Faculty
- Torry Jeranek, DCTC HVAC Faculty
- Brad Manley, Inver Hills Communications Faculty
- Kyle Forgette, DCTC Biology Faculty
- Manee Yang, DCTC Program Navigator
- Aria Kronebusch, DCTC Academic Advisor & Financial Aid Advisor
- DCTC and Inver Hills DEIJB Team
- DCTC Admissions Team
- Nate Eddy, DCTC and Inver Hills Financial Aid Advisor
- Jeremy McConkey, St. Paul Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455 JATC Training Center Director
- Joe Palewicz, St. Paul Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455 Training Coordinator
- Lisa Vandeville, St. Paul Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455 Office Professional
- JATC St. Paul Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455 instructors who served as instructors in Commercial HVAC/R diploma program
- Mike Brown, Johnson Controls, Plymouth, Minnesota, Local Representative
- HVAC/R Program Alumni
