CO₂ TRAINING PROGRAMME: EPTA'S RESPONSE TO THE GAP OF QUALIFIED TECHNICIANS IN THE UNITED STATES

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The North American HVAC&R industry is currently facing a crucial challenge in the form of a shortage of qualified technicians, highlighted by the latest estimates of the U.S. Bureau of Laboraccording to which more than 40,000 technical positions in the industry are likely to remain unfilledby 2031.

With the aim of bridging this gap, Epta is renewing its commitment to train young people in the US through its CO2 Training Programme, a specialised course on the subject of transcritical CO₂ refrigeration. The course, which runs at Kysor Warren Epta's two training centres - located on the West Coast (Orange County, California) and in Columbus, Georgia - include theoretical and practical modules, certified with Instructure Canvas and for which 2.5 EC credits are awarded for each session.

It is a tangible investment in technical expertise, and one geared firmly towards the future: the ATMOsphere figures for December 2024 estimate that between 2024 and 2028 alone, there will be 312% growth in stores choosing to adopt CO2 refrigeration. It is a strategic opportunity, and one the Group is ready to seize.

 

natural refrigeration and training FOR A SUSTAINABLE SECTOR

As a Green Transition Enabler, Epta has always recognised natural refrigeration and training as two indispensable tools for building a more sustainable, efficient and competitive industry.

The large-scale adoption of natural refrigerants, the only real alternative to using substances that are harmful to health and the environment, must in fact go hand in hand with training for new generations of technicians. This training is required as a strategic lever to speed up the sector's ecological transition and ensure its resilient and long-term growth.

In this context, Dale Sizemore, Director of Technical Services and training liaison of Kysor Warren Epta US, comments: “The 40% growth  in transcritical CO₂ system installations in the last year alone demonstrates the strong potential of natural refrigeration in North American retail. It is an extremely encouraging sign which, however, comes up against limited market penetration of just 5.8%.” He concludes: “For the stakeholders involved and Epta itself, this spotlights the significant margin for business development, particularly in restyling and retrofit projects, which can only be realised in full if we have highly qualified technicians.”

Thanks to its specialist expertise, solid partnerships such as the one with the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) and structured investment in talent training, Epta is once again a key player in the green transition of commercial refrigeration in North America.