The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) presented its annual HVAC Instructor of the Year Award to Victor Schmidt, a teacher at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, since 2001. The recognition occurred Oct. 1 during PHCCCONNECT2020.

An instructor for the PHCC of Iowa’s apprentice program since 2009, Schmidt has proven himself to be a dedicated educator committed to the process of recruiting high school students into the trades. He demonstrated his passion by once building a control circuit game to create a hands-on experience for students to engage them and help them better understand the trade.

Not only has he proven himself to be a caring teacher to his students, he has also proven to be a valuable spokesperson for the HVAC industry in general. He is constantly promoting the importance of a career in the trades and always encouraging his students to develop their skills which will pave the way for a successful future.

During the awards presentation, Schmidt was praised for his dedication to students during school and beyond, and in support of the industry. As the awards introduction stated, “Vic is constantly reminding students that, as part of the HVAC industry, they have a unique opportunity to consistently display important skills that put them a step above the rest.”