![\"From](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/MIA_103MDCworkforce00NEWPPP.JPG\" "\\"Students")
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Students Juan Gonzalez, Reinier Colas and Francisco Jimenez, practiced using an AC pressure gauge, during a Technician Certificate Program class, at Miami Dade College North Campus on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026.<\/p>\n
Pedro Portal<\/p>\n
pportal@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n
Giordano Garc\u00eda Rosado\u2019s workday doesn\u2019t end at the end of the day.<\/p>\n
He works all day as a handyman and takes night classes at the north campus of Miami Dade College. Wearing his construction worker hard hat and neon green vest, the 23-year-old from Cuba joins his classmates to earn certification as a refrigeration, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technician.<\/p>\n
The goal is to increase pay or move up the career ladder.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to start my own business,\u201d said Garc\u00eda Rosado, who works in a building in Sunny Isles Beach.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had the basic knowledge more or less, but here you get deeper into the world of air conditioning, the failures, because before I really only knew how to clean the air units,\u201d Garc\u00eda Rosado said.<\/p>\n
The AC technician course is part of the vocational programs offered by the School of Continuing Education and Professional Development at Miami Dade College.<\/p>\n
Continuing education allows students to earn a degree or certification in a short time. Another advantage: Many courses are offered in English and Spanish and include hands-on training and demonstrations that prepare students for trades in industries that pay well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese types of jobs are increasingly essential in Florida,\u201d said Soraya Gal\u00e1n, community outreach and strategic partnerships manager at MDC.<\/p>\n
Gal\u00e1n points to the growing demand for workers in Florida\u2019s construction industry, both to build more housing and to improve and create new infrastructure.<\/p>\n
By the end of 2025, 439,000 new workers were needed to meet demand in the construction industry<\/a>, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors. Full-time construction workers in the Miami metropolitan area earn a median of $47,452 a year.<\/p>\n Wages and certifications<\/p>\n Skilled specialists such as HVAC\/R technicians can earn between $18 and $40 per hour in Miami-Dade County<\/a>, depending on experience and certifications.<\/p>\n \u201cThe limit is set by the employee, because one of the most important things in this industry is punctuality and honesty,\u201d said instructor Omar Silva.<\/p>\n To enroll in the HVAC\/R technician program, students must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent, such as a GED.<\/p>\n During class, Silva guides students through the different stations and tools in the lab where they practice at MDC\u2019s north campus. He emphasizes workplace safety measures, which can save lives on any construction site.<\/p>\n These measures are primary requirements to obtain certification from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a federal agency of the Department of Labor that ensures the education and training necessary to guarantee safety in workplaces.<\/p>\n OSHA and EPA certifications<\/p>\n In addition to OSHA standards, course participants develop nationally certified technical skills through the National Center for Construction Education and Research, and obtain EPA 608 certification from the Environmental Protection Agency, which allows them to handle refrigerants legally and responsibly without harming the environment.<\/p>\n \u201cOSHA graduates gain the ability to detect errors and hazards,\u201d Silva said, noting that having certifications affects both finding work and raising pay rates.<\/p>\n To obtain OSHA certification students must complete 10 hours of study, and for the EPA certification they must complete 122 hours of study.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s job-oriented training, aligned with industry standards and the real needs of employers in the residential and commercial sectors,\u201d Gal\u00e1n said.<\/p>\n Many students in this course were referred by Hispanic Unity of Florida, a nonprofit that helps immigrants find jobs, housing, and start their businesses. Hispanic Unity of Florida has an agreement with MDC to guide them in their professional goals.<\/p>\n For many of them the goal is to gain greater independence and work for themselves.<\/p>\n Jaime Milla, born in Peru, said his goal in this course was to get construction certification, OSHA, and EPA credentials.<\/p>\n \u201cThat lets me buy the refrigerants to recharge air conditioners,\u201d he explained, noting that he could work for someone who already had those certifications, but having them himself puts him on another level.<\/p>\n The School of Continuing Education and Professional Development at Miami Dade College also has a broadband and fiber optic technician program<\/a>, which trains those who install and repair high-speed internet networks.<\/p>\n For this program, and especially for the lab that houses the latest technology \u2014 also located on MDC\u2019s north campus \u2014 they partnered with the company MasTec. Graduates, who can earn $50,000 and up, can apply for jobs at MasTec.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Miami Herald<\/p>\n![\"Instructor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/MIA_104MDCworkforce00NEWPPP.JPG\" "\\"MIA_104MDCworkforce00NEWPPP.JPG\\"")
Instructor Omar Silva explains to students the way a thermostat functions in an AC system, during a Technician Certificate Program class, at Miami Dade College North Campus on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n![\"Students](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/MIA_101MDCworkforce00NEWPPP.JPG\" "\\"MIA_101MDCworkforce00NEWPPP.JPG\\"")
Students looks on as Instructor Omar Silva supervises as student Reinier Colas demonstrates soldering an AC unit coil copper lines, during a class at Miami Dade College North Campus on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n![\"Graduates](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/MIA_113MDCMastec00NEWPPP.JPG\" "\\"MIA_113MDCMastec00NEWPPP.JPG\\"")
Graduates of the Telecommunications and Fiber Optics Technician program at Miami Dade College\u2019s North Campus demonstrate what they have learned during a graduation presentation. The program is part of a collaboration between Miami Dade College and MasTec, on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n