The HVAC program, which launched last fall, has settled into a newly renovated classroom this year at the Center for Career Services — a bright, open space that gives students far more room to learn the trade than the temporary quarters they started in.

The new classroom formerly housed IT department offices. Over the summer, walls came down and the space was reimagined, transforming from multiple offices into a large, open room combining a dedicated learning area with a full lineup of training equipment for electrical and refrigeration work.

“I love it here,” said Moises Robles, now in his second year as the HVAC instructor. “It’s an easier place to work and a more comfortable environment for the students. They love it. Our seniors have really enjoyed the change.”

When the HVAC program began last year, it operated out of a temporary space built for adult education electrical classes. This year, with new heating installed and the room opened up, students walked into a classroom built specifically for them.

“They did a great job,” Robles said of the school’s redesign.

The new room is equipped with a residential electrical trainer, electrical control training equipment, electrical heat control systems, a refrigeration trainer, and a heat pump and air conditioning unit for basic refrigeration instruction. The central air conditioning unit comes complete with condenser, evaporator, and ductwork — hands-on tools that mirror the systems they’ll encounter on the job.

For the program’s seniors, the upgrade has changed how they learn each day. Carlos Garcia, a senior from Port Chester, said the old classroom limited what the class could do together.

“We had what we needed in the previous room, but our restrictions with equipment made our experience limited,” Garcia said. “We couldn’t hook up all the units at once and we couldn’t separate into groups the way we can now. Sometimes we had to split between rooms. In this new room, we have unlimited space, I would say.”

Garcia added that the extra square footage has let students personalize the space. “We can just kind of make this our own creative space,” he said.

Efrain Jacob, a senior from New Rochelle, said the new room has already improved the students’ overall experience. “This makes it better for our learning and will help us advance if we want to do this in the future,” he said.

Justin Jones, a senior from Woodlands, agreed that the added room has changed the day-to-day rhythm of class. “It’s way better for us,” Jones said. “We’re able to work on more things and it’s less crowded.”

With 38 students now enrolled across the morning and afternoon sessions, the extra space has been valuable. For Robles, the new classroom isn’t just about comfort; it’s about giving students the space and tools to build real technical skills before they graduate.

With a fully organized learning area and a collection of training aids, the growing HVAC program now has a home that matches its ambitions.