PBACCA Visits the Historic Carver Technical Education Center

Members of the Palm Beach Air Conditioning Contractors Association (PBACCA) recently had the opportunity to partner with the School District of Palm Beach County for a special lunchtime visit to the Historic Carver Technical Education Center (HCTEC)  at 302 SW 12th Avenue, Delray FL 33444, an experience that showcased what strong workforce development looks like in action.

A brief PBACCA general meeting was conducted before the tour of the facility took place. Rob Mayhew of the Membership Committee announced that possible inclusion of counties bordering PBACCA’s current coverage to the north is being considered. “We receive a lot of support and participation in our activities from contractors and businesses located in Martin County and northward so we’re looking into if and how we can share our resources with them. We’re very early in the process and look forward to hearing from members about this idea.” 

Fred Barch, Director, Adult and Community Ed Palm Beach County Schools, spoke to the group about the county’s plan to eventually have 5 accredited technical colleges in the county. “All we’re asking from you is to provide us with the guidance moving forward. Steve Sparks helped us tremendously as we started with this building. We didn’t know what a HAVC lab should look like.”

“We have a caring mindset here and we’re getting funding to help our students with tuition and tools. We are offering options and involving all our high school counselors with the information they need to explain what programs are available to their students.”

During the tour, members got an inside look at a hands-on training environment, where students in the HVAC program are learning to install, maintain, and troubleshoot systems using real equipment and industry-standard tools. Visitors got a glance at the tools every student receives upon graduation so that they are not coming to their first job empty handed. The program combines classroom instruction with lab work, covering refrigeration fundamentals, electrical systems, safety, and diagnostics. This prepares students for immediate entry into the field.

Serving as a true hub for adult education and skilled trades training in Palm Beach County, the center has a comprehensive offering. In addition to HVAC, the campus offers electrical pre-apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships and programs in medical assisting, culinary arts and phlebotomy, with more to come. 

A highlight of the visit was meeting the program’s graduating students, many of whom are ready to enter the workforce. PBACCA members had the opportunity to connect these graduates with potential job openings at local HVAC companies, helping bridge the gap from training to employment.

“We’re especially proud to share that our own Steve Sparks played a key role in assisting with the buildout of this new HVAC facility in Delray Beach, helping ensure the program reflects real-world industry standards and needs,” PBACCA Executive Director Alexa Lee said.

“This partnership represents exactly what our industry needs, a strong collaboration between education and contractors to build the next generation of skilled technicians,” PBACCA President Sean Caplan added.

If your company is interested in taking a tour and learning more about the program, please contact Joe Cortes at 561-266-1201 or Fred Barch at 561-649-6015.

For information about PBACCA activities and membership, visit https://pbacca.org/ or call 561-585-3880.

From the Managing Director:
The site of the Historic Carver Technical Educational Center has roots dating back to 1937 and the iconic George Washington Carver High School, the first African American High School in Palm Beach County. It served as the only high school in Delray Beach open to black students until it closed in 1970 with the onset of integration. The name was changed from Carver High to Carver Middle¹. A new chapter emerged with the transformation of the historic Delray Full Service Adult Education Center in 2021². The project entailed the demolition of seven campus buildings and the preservation of four original structures. Included was construction of a two-story, 20,000 square foot facility to support vocational and adult education programs,  the Historic Carver Technical Educational Center.

¹ https://preservingourstories.home.blog/category/historic-preservation/carver-high/

² https://www.peacockarchitect.com/perspective/a-new-chapter-of-history-for-delray-full-service-adult-education-center