MTEC was no exception to the disruption our country and state have seen due to COVID-19. MTEC was closed for four months, but has made strides and found opportunities since reopening. Recently, MTEC HVAC students this past semester found opportunities in the Heat Pump class that previous HVAC students haven’t had.
Our most recent students entered into the HVAC program and were presented with an AC/Refrigeration unit. The program is run by MTEC instructor Dan Weber. Dan explains, “training our students in air conditioning and refrigeration helps MTEC put out more well-rounded and well trained technicians. Not just that, but it creates long term career stability for the students. Just take a look around at all the places where these units exist.”
On the commercial side we see every bar and restaurant, retail markets, convenience stores, supermarkets, and stores running AC and refrigeration units. On the industrial and manufacturing side, there are fishermen, food production and distribution centers and many more who use these units. AC and refrigeration is everywhere, and it is projected that 100,000 Heat Pumps will be installed into consumer homes in the next five years. 
MEMA wants to be sure the Energy Dealers of our Association remain ahead of the curve and well educated so they are able to educate consumers on the home heating units that will best serve them. Teaching MTEC technicians to be well rounded in all forms of heat, AC, and refrigeration is our goal.
For the past few years, Efficiency MAINE has endorsed MTEC, including listing us on their website as a certified Heat Pump training facility. Consumers are able to go to the site and reach out to and or be redirected to members who include Heat Pump installation, repair, and service in their programs. Interested students looking for a program are able to find out more information about MTEC through the site and it has served well as a recruiting tool for our Oil and Propane programs.
In August upon the grand reopening of the school, Andy Meyer (Senior Program Manager at Efficiency Maine) started a series of regular visits to MTEC. He has dedicated much of his time training MTEC students on how to properly install units in order for customers to take advantage of the rebate program. During this time Efficiency MAINE donated $5,000 to MTEC, which was used to purchase new Heat Pumps for hands-on learning experiences.
MEMA and MTEC plan to continue to nurture our relationship with Efficiency MAINE as we see them as a benefit to the education of our students and in a potential future funding source for programs relating to biofuels in Maine as the Providence Resolution takes shape