When Jim Hanway, HVAC instructor at Northland Career Center, found out he had been named Teacher of the Year for 2023, he was humbled.
“The announcement was at our staff meeting, and PCR-3 leadership and my family were present, which made it even more memorable,” Hanway said.
Teaching HVAC has been a decade-long job for Hanway, and nine of those years have been at Northland Career Center. The basics that his students learn are the refrigeration cycle and theory, EPA regulations, furnace sequence of operation, piping principles, electrical theory and troubleshooting, and employability (soft skills).
Hanway
“The career pathways that are possible in HVAC were what appealed to me,” Hanway said.
Depending on the individual students in his classes, the majority of them enter the workforce after graduation.
“Several obtain internships and work during their final semester,” Hanway said. “Some students do go on to further education to obtain their Associates of Applied Science Degree in HVAC/R.”
Hanway always knew he wanted to work in the skilled trades and when he was young, his parents took him to the open house at his local Career and Technical Education (CTE) center, where he was first introduced to an HVAC program.
An interest in HVAC developed early for Hanway, encouraged by his dad’s commitment to helping him learn how to do minor repairs when he was very young.
“From cars to appliances, we worked on everything at our house,” Hanway said. “My parents also had a couple of rental properties, and summers were spent working on them. I began as the ‘flashlight holder’ and eventually learned enough to work on my own vehicles in high school.”
Hanway believes that HVAC is an excellent option for students who want choices for education, other than the standard options.”One of the things I love about CTE, and HVAC especially, is that they can go in so many directions. Whether they get an advanced degree, enter an apprenticeship, or go directly into the workforce; they can go into HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and other mechanical trades.”
One of the biggest challenges he faces as a teacher is getting to spend enough time with each of his students. His program is a hands-on learning environment and he tries to make it as close to the real world as possible.”It is no secret that there is a huge skills gap in our country and because of the demand for HVAC technicians, my students will have rewarding careers and are able to build a life for themselves with little to no student loan debt,” Hanway said. “I am passionate about doing what I can to help train future technicians. My greatest reward is seeing my students be successful and hearing from them about how their careers have progressed.”
For students who want to learn about, and become part of the HVAC trade, Hanway encourages them to invest in themselves and the program, and learn from those who are in CTE, while reaching out to businesses and industry for equipment and review of curriculum.”I found this opportunity late in my career and it is without a doubt the best job I’ve ever had,” Hanway said.
If his students were asked what they like best about his class, Hanway is sure they’d say the opportunity to work with their hands and apply what they are learning to relevant, real-world situations.
The nominations for this year’s Teacher of the Year, included: “Jim Hanway is a credit to Northland Career Center and the Platte County School District in numerous ways. In the classroom, it is evident that he cares about his students and actively works on building relationships with them. He knows his students well, treats them with respect, and inserts humor and humility into his daily lessons. As a result, his positive classroom culture results in a group of respectful students who are primed to learn.
”For Hanway, the Platte County School System is a supportive and helpful school system in which to work.”We are well supported by the district and when I need something for my class or my own professional development, it has always been provided. I feel very fortunate to be a part of our school district.”Those who believe that ‘do it yourself’ is the only way to go, are cautioned by Hanway to be very careful when taking on a complex repair job.”With the dangers of carbon monoxide, EPA regulated refrigerants, and the potential for electric shock in the systems we work on, I’d rather they call one of my graduates to work on them!” Hanway said.
Safety is a big part of the curriculum and a daily focus in his class, as is using the right tool for the job and using tools correctly. He also reinforces the importance of patience and persistence when his students are troubleshooting equipment.
He stresses to his students that due to the type of work they do, they have to be able to find solutions for their customers and to be critical thinkers when it comes to problems they will eventually face.
“What I like most about seeing them become proficient and confident is that they are embarking on a very rewarding career that will always be in demand and one that gives them the opportunity to earn a living in any of the pathways that they choose to pursue,” Hanway said.