The Community College of Rhode Island has secured $200,000 from the state Office of Energy Resources to develop heating, cooling and heat-pump training scheduled to begin in 2027.
The Oct. 6 announcement sets a summer or fall 2027 target for a new-worker program in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration, known as HVAC/R.
The funding will support a hands-on teaching space with ducted and ductless heat pumps, diagnostic equipment and electrical learning systems. The curriculum will include refrigeration principles, brazing, piping and cold-climate applications as a pre-apprenticeship pathway.
For people already working in the industry, CCRI plans a separate 40-hour course covering heat-pump installation, commissioning, service and maintenance. The college expects to launch that course by September 2027.
The state and college say the programs are intended to expand the workforce available to install and maintain heat pumps as Rhode Island pursues building electrification.