Essential Functions

The purpose of the essential functions list is to allow prospective students who are considering a career to be informed of the physical, emotional, and psychological demands related to training and employment in a field of study. These lists are provided to allow prospective students to make informed career choices by providing them with a summary of the physical abilities and personality traits that are generally required for the successful completion of a curriculum and result in employment in a field of study after graduation. For students to be successful in the Air Conditioning Technology programs, they must be able to perform the following essential functions:

Ability to Use Senses.

• Visual: Acuity to read information on unit data plates, identify symbols in wiring diagrams, read information on unit service panels, and read instructions in installation and service manuals.
• Hearing: Ability to understand a normal speaking voice when communicating with students, teachers, and customers; ability to differentiate mechanical noises made by operating air conditioning equipment.
• Smell: Ability to evaluate possible dangers involved in working with flammable gasses, toxic solvents, and harmful cleaning agents.
• Tactile: Feel heat/cold or pain and evaluate the possible danger from hot surfaces and hot or cold work environments.

Motor Ability.

• Physical ability to walk long distances and stand for long periods of time; lift, move, and transfer equipment of at least 50 pounds; and maneuver in limited spaces.
• Ability to work while in hot/humid and/or cold conditions.
• Ability to have manual dexterity to efficiently and safely use equipment, power tools and hand tools, and other small and large equipment while wearing essential safety glasses and/or gloves and/or other necessary required safety gear.

Ability to Understand Need for a Safe Work Environment.

• Practical awareness of potential dangers of electricity, refrigerants, and mechanical devices.
• Ability to wear necessary safety gear, including safety glasses, gloves, closed-toe shoes, and proper shop clothing.
• Ability to maintain safe environment at all times.

Ability to Communicate.

• Skills to communicate effectively in verbal and written forms to class partners and/or team and to instructor.
• Skills to write and perform routine mathematical calculations clearly and correctly.
• Basic proficiency in technology (computers and peripheral components) as industry requires.

Ability to Problem Solve.

• Intellectual and conceptual ability for measuring, calculating, reasoning, and analyzing.
• Intellectual and conceptual ability for prioritizing daily functions in the lab and work environment.
• Intellectual and conceptual ability to deduce the operating sequence of a system from a schematic diagram.
• Intellectual and conceptual ability to use a logical sequence to identify system components that are not operating properly.
• Ability to work in fast-paced environments with a sense of urgency without jeopardizing safety.
• Ability to react and adjust as instructed by the instructors during lab or shop instruction or based on customer's needs.

Ability to Maintain Emotional Stability.

• Ability to function safely under stress in today's workplace and adapt to changing staff and client/customer situations.
• Ability to maintain composure and professionalism at all times in labs and work environment.

Ability to Perform Practical Outcomes.

• Ability to function under the practical guidelines of equipment manufacturers' specifications.