Whittier Tech Receives $409K Skills Capital Grant to Expand HVAC Program

Rich Gonsalves leads Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School's HVAC program (Courtesy photograph)

Haverhill’s Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School is set to reap the benefits of the Baker-Polito Administration’s latest skills capital grant program to expand its Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration course, the school said Tuesday.

Receiving $409,225 from the state, Whittier intends to build what they call a “state-of-the-art” lab stocked with HVAC and refrigeration equipment used to work on residential and commercial units. Students in that program will receive hands-on training by working inside the classroom and outside Whittier Tech on things like gas and oil burners, ice machines and air conditioning units, instructor Rich Gonsalves said.

“This Skills Capital Grant will give students the opportunity to work on the latest energy efficient HVAC equipment,” HVAC Instructor Rich Gonsalves said. “With the addition of new equipment, we will be able to educate our students on the newest technology to increase the number of qualified technicians in our region.”

Construction on the new lab is set to begin in October and should be completed by the end of the school year.

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