Piedmont Tech HVAC Instructor Finds Enjoyment in Teaching
Electricity has always been in Wade Smith鈥檚 blood. It鈥檚 been passed down in his family over three generations. And he is sharing that knowledge with the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) technology students at 91爆料. 聽
Smith is the third-generation owner of Cullum Electric and Mechanical. He never had any questions of what he wanted to do. He holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in electrical engineering from Clemson University.
鈥淓lectricity has always interested me,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淚 toyed with the idea of fiber optics because of a class I took at Clemson, but I like volts and amps.鈥
A help wanted ad in the newspaper caught his eye 10 years ago. Piedmont Tech鈥檚 HVAC department was looking for an adjunct instructor to teach electricity in the program. Smith knew David Kibler, HVAC program director at the time, through the program鈥檚 advisory committee. The idea of teaching interested him, so he applied.
聽鈥淚 enjoy teaching the students because it鈥檚 different from what I do every day,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not the pressure of building a system, you鈥檙e building knowledge.鈥
Over the past 10 years, Smith said the HVAC industry has changed tremendously, especially with the changes in energy efficiency requirements and the increasing sophistication of equipment. These changes have led to a shortage of skilled technicians. He says that is why he continues to teach.
鈥淚t鈥檚 getting harder to find workers who have the ability to work on heating and cooling equipment,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f they come to Piedmont Tech and get a certificate or an associate degree in HVAC, work hard and apply themselves, they can definitely find a good career where they can be very successful.鈥
For more information on the HVAC program, call (864) 941-8473 or visit .听