Recently, PPATEC (the Pennsylvania Petroleum Association Technical Education Center) – offering HVAC/R training worldwide – moved from Middletown, PA into a new, larger training facility in Grantville, PA.

Ted Harris, executive VP, said, “Though our last facility served its purpose well, our new, fully-customized training center is three times the size and can accommodate a much broader curriculum and three-times growth in students.” 

“Now, we’re able to expand all facets of our training to match the anticipated growth of student demand and – so far – enrollment is moving upwards very nicely,” added Don Mumma, director of training & workforce development. 

Rachel Ruhl and I recently dropped in for a visit with a few of our favorite instructors in the hydronics trade – Mike Elmer and Doug Zerbe, PPATEC technical instructors, and Dave Holdorf. Holdorf is Taco’s Product and Applications Instructor, East. He spends much of his time traveling for Taco and is among the most in-demand visiting instructors at PPATEC. 

PPATEC’s course offerings are specifically tailored to train HVAC/R, energy industry and hydronic technicians in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. PPA member companies contribute to coursework to help design training programs that offer students a direct, hands-on learning experience that results in strengthening the professional skills of their employees. 

In some instances, coursework ensures that participants maintain proper industry certifications. And, often, those member companies sponsor their tech employees to attend the schooling. Some of the students fund their own training, hoping to boost their qualifications and credentials as prospective employees; they enroll in courses like the 400-hour, full-immersion experience referred to as the HVAC & Energy Professional Program. Many of their graduates, whose progress is monitored by PPA member companies, have job offers before they leave the course. 

Extraordinary students, and labs

PPATEC’s staff and instructors – whether full-time, or visiting – are helping to reverse the trend of a declining trade workforce. Their goal: to energize and educate a growing population of young, eager technicians, and to add new dimensions of understanding to techs who’ve been in the field for years; this was the case during Dave Holdorf’s Advanced Hydronics course. 

PPATEC training consists of 100+ courses offering insight into many facets of HVAC business, from technical training and leadership to communications. Titles are too numerous to mention completely, though here are several of them:  

•  Gas heating fundamentals of installation + servicing
•  A/C principles, theories, installation + troubleshooting
•  Technical conversations with customers
•  Oil heating fundamentals of installation, servicing & troubleshooting
•  Advanced hydronics
•  Heat pump operation, testing + troubleshooting
•  Low level carbon monoxide safety
•  Troubleshooting low voltage wiring
•  Water treatment basics

While they were still in Middletown, PA, PPATEC enrollment peaked at 1,800 students in 2024. “Our technical training program has grown by 20 to 30 percent year after year since 2020,” continued Harris. “Our new facility in Grantville is much larger, allowing us to broadly expand our course offerings with new classrooms and greatly expanded lab spaces. The new space matches the growth trajectory we’re seeing and is ready to meet the potential capacity of 6,000 students each year.” 

Image courtesy of Racehl Ruhl Photography.

“Importantly, the new facility allows us to increase the number of class offerings, and lab diversification into new technical training categories,” said Mumma. “We also plan to expand partnerships with manufacturers and supply houses to offer co-branded opportunities for more industry stakeholders to utilize the facility.” 

“One of our key value propositions is offering non-brand-specific, hands-on training solutions for the industry,” said Harris. “This gives us the ability to achieve an even greater level of instructional quality.” Recent Google reviews – 364 of them currently w/a 5-star average – verify it:

Recent attendee, Rick Hickoff, said: “Great Class. I feel more capable in performing my job and keeping my customers safe. Doug Z [Instructor Doug Zerbe] made things easy to understand and fun to learn. Great facility with all new equipment for the hands-on experience.” Rick awarded them 5 stars. 

After giving PPATEC 5 stars, Bryce Ulrich said: “I was a part of the ten week program at PPATEC school. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made, the instructors were very helpful & knowledgeable. They do their best to make sure you understand the material & set you up for success. I would recommend this class to any beginners looking to get into the industry.”

Also awarding 5 stars, Veteran Jeffrey Peralta stated: “10/10! I highly recommend this school to anyone wanting to learn HVAC and start a career in the trades. Huge thanks to Mike, Don, and Doug , they’re amazing people and instructors. As a new veteran, this school made my transition smooth and easy.”

And, David Nunes (also giving them 5 stars) said this: “I want to take a moment to recognize [Instructor] Doug [Zerbe] for the outstanding job he did as my instructor. His deep knowledge of HVAC systems and refrigerant safety was clear from day one, but what really stood out was his ability to break down complex material into lessons that were easy to understand and remember.

Doug’s teaching style kept the class engaged and focused. He was always willing to go the extra mile to make sure we grasped the content—not just to pass a test, but to truly prepare us for real-world success. He was patient, respectful, and approachable, creating a positive learning environment where every student felt supported.

Thanks to Doug, I feel more confident and better prepared to apply my skills in the field. He sets the bar high for what a great instructor should be. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from him.”

That’s a tri-axle full of 5-star Google reviews. 

“Our students raise the bar higher n’ higher each year,” said Instructor Doug Zerbe. “But, that’s the sort of challenge that keeps me sharp. 

“As technology changes, it’s important that we help technicians understand and be comfortable with an entire “mechanical landscape” – not just oil heat, or plumbing and hydronics, but all facets of HVAC. Our years in the field enable us to pass on that knowledge,” he added. 

“We don’t know all the answers,” continued Zerbe. “So we’re constantly searching for best solutions to share with students. Occasionally, they’re surprised to find that we read installation and operation manuals, too! In most cases – that’s where the answers are found. Good field work, and learning the fundamentals requires a lot of attention to detail, and resourcefulness. So, it’s that blend of experience and knowledge, and the ability to find answers, that often becomes so valuable to technicians during their training sessions here.” 

New skills, and upskilling 

According to Harris, the core of where PPATEC is positioning the curriculum is to upskill novice and/or intermediate technicians. The school offers 3- to 5-day programs that allow an employer to make an investment to improve employee technical skills based on their existing needs. 

“It’s our opinion that, by doing so, employers can significantly reduce the learning curve by standardizing portions of their developmental process in a condensed format as opposed to strictly just learning on the job,” continued Harris. “The main classes that fall under this category are:

•  Air Conditioning: Intro to A/C & EPA 608 Certification 
•  Electrical: Basic Electric Theory for HVAC Components
•  Gas Heat: Gas Fired Heating System Diagnostics, Maintenance, & Troubleshooting (this will be introduced in 2026)
•  Heat Pumps: Heat Pump Installation, Service, and Troubleshooting Fundamentals 
•  Equipment Installation/Replacement: Hands-On HVAC Installation Bootcamp
•  Oil Heat: NORA Bronze Basic Oil Heat Program 

Beyond these, PPATEC has two other key, instructional categories: a state licensing and VA-approved 400-hour program, built to provide a pathway for more individuals to enter our industry; and one-day refresher training programs – such as troubleshooting low voltage wiring, or troubleshooting high efficiency gas furnaces, EPA 608 Certification, and A2L Refrigerant Training and Certification. 

Image courtesy of Racehl Ruhl Photography.

Two young students, Skylar Buckley and Hannah Lewis – both with New Oxford, PA-based Aero Energy, a PPA-member firm that serves much of the states of PA and MD – are both technicians for the company. And, both were enrolled in the two-week NORA Bronze course under the tutelage of Instructor Mike Elmer. Buckley works out of Aero’s Carlisle, PA office, and Lewis, out of their location in New Oxford.

Buckley says that she was attracted to the HVAC field because of the challenges it presented. “I was an all-A student through school. I was labeled ‘book-smart,’ and the description fit, and it also helped me to realize that I was better-challenged by working with my hands. I always enjoyed helping my parents assemble boxed furniture.”

During her senior year of high school, Buckley chose dual-enrollment by taking evening courses at Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC), for nursing. But she found that, following in her mother’s footsteps was “too heavy.” So, she began her research into professional trade options, finding an interest in the HVAC trades while still at HACC. She became intrigued with HVAC because the work included field work in electrical, plumbing, mechanical systems and hydronics. The next year, she entered York Technical Institute (YTI) for a year, completing her coursework there in August of ’25. “I really enjoyed the experience.”

Just a few months into her studies at YTI, and reveling in the challenges that were presented, Aero managers took interest in her. “It turns out that, while still at YTI and following an interview with Aero, she locked in employment with them and is now a full-time technician for them. She says that it was quite a challenge to complete her YTI training while also working at Aero, although she knew she was pursuing what was a great fit for her. “It lined up perfectly with my need for challenge and responsibility,” she added. “I’m learning continuously from co-workers, and instructors. It couldn’t be better.”

“There were some really good surprises in my training at PPATEC,” she concluded. “I was amazed that there were so many guest experts that came in from manufacturing companies. Experts came in from Beckett, and Carlin – both burner manufacturers. We also had professionals come in from Roth tanks, and following their training, we were awarded with their tank certifications. Experts also came in to teach us about chimneys and draft control. I enjoyed it immensely. There’s no question about it: I look forward to more training at PPATEC.”      

Hannah Lewis’ father Roger was with Aero for 30 years so, naturally, he was proud that she took an interest in his career path. “But, it wasn’t immediate,” she admitted. “After graduating from Gettysburg High School, I worked various jobs, then bartended for a decade at two businesses.” She has three children, so meeting their needs was top-of-mind when considering her new, promising career. “Bartending wasn’t exactly what I’d call sustainable, especially with kids to care for.  

“I had my first ride-along with Aero in April of ’25,” she explained. “In May, I was offered a position and began part-time. I moved to full-time in September as a service tech apprentice – aiming at a full, service tech role with Aero.”

Lewis always enjoyed assembling things around the house. She helped her father with projects, or tackled jobs on her own. “Mechanical system service work is both challenging and enjoyable,” she added. “I also like the fact that it allows me to learn about and solve problems with plumbing, hydronic and HVAC systems. I’ve gotta’ admit that keeping normal hours to be home with my kids for evenings and weekends is a huge plus, too.” 

As for the PPATEC training she received, Lewis enthusiastically gave them two thumbs-up. “Mike Elmer was very good at knowing what I need to know. He’s very good at that, very perceptive. He was very quick to spot areas of need, or interest. We [students] received a lot of one-on-one time. I also appreciated that the training isn’t repetitive, and there are no dull moments.”  

Holdorf and Advanced Hydronics 

At PPATEC, Holdorf leads one of their most popular courses, Advanced Hydronics, and not only wrote the book used for the multi-day course, but also designed the laboratory there used for hands-on training.  

His book, Advanced Hydronics, published by NORA (National Oilheat Research Alliance), is reportedly a favorite resource among hydronic system technicians. 

According to Holdorf, anyone can put together a bunch of parts and call it a hydronic heating system. But, are those parts and pieces selected properly and being used as they were intended? That’s the focus of the advanced hydronics course, intended to take attendees through the decision process, prior to system design. 

Dave Holdorf is part of a three-person team at Taco who help customers learn about residential and light commercial hydronic systems. In addition to his Eastern region training responsibilities, he’s a regular on Taco’s webcast, “Taco Tuesday.”

Holdorf started working in the trades as a teenager when he worked in his family’s machine shop.

When he reached his mid-20s, Holdorf picked up some college education and decided he wanted to get serious about completing a degree. He was good at math and figured engineering would be a good career to pursue. After achieving his degree from SUNY Maritime College in New York City where he learned how to work on boilers.

“I learned that I was surprisingly able to share it with others in ways that, somehow, imparted useful instruction to them,” he said. “It's not like I trained to be a trainer. It was just one of those things that came naturally to me, allowing me to get up in front of a room full of trade pros, helping them in ways I still find surprising today!”

Holdorf has learned to wield humor while imparting useful information during his classes. “You’ve gotta’ have fun,” he said. “We're doing education, but we're also entertaining at the same time, right? It’s the blend that we all enjoy – both the instructor and the class participants. Maybe there’s a lesson in life buried in there somewhere.”