To build buy-in among facility executives, managers must show that HVAC technician training will benefit the organization.Justifying the program
Getting technicians and operators to buy into a training program is critical to its success. Operating and maintenance personnel in most cases are willing to participate in the program if they understand it will benefit them. Building buy-in among those who control the budget is no different. Managers must be able to demonstrate that the training will benefit the organization, as well.
Financial types tend to look at things from a cost-benefit perspective because it makes sense to them. Why spend money on training unless there is going to be a return on that investment? Besides, many of them might believe that the skills needed to maintain systems and equipment are best learned on the job. Not many of them understand the complexity of advanced HVAC systems and the limitations of on-the-job training. To succeed in selling a training program, managers need to demonstrate its financial value.
One way to achieve this goal is to spotlight past equipment failures and maintenance problems that are due to the lack of training – equipment that has broken down or required replacement well before it reached its rated service life due to lack of understanding the required maintenance.
Managers also should point out successes the department has achieved because of training. They also need to show the savings the department could achieve by switching from outside to in-house maintenance if technicians were trained to perform them, and they can identify features on newly installed HVAC systems and components that could reduce energy use or to improve reliability if personnel knew how to make better use of them.
Building Successful Training Programs for HVAC Technicians
How To Build Buy-In for HVAC Training
