The Houston Chronicle reports on how Comfort Systems is investing in its online education for its employees and recruits, in part by buying a minority stake in an online training program specific to the HVACR industry.

Comfort Systems is one of the largest commercial heating, air conditioning and ventilation system installation and maintenance companies in the country, with 1,600 service technicians at 36 operating companies across the U.S.

In June the company finalized a deal to partner with and buy a minority stake in HVACRedu.net, an online training program specific to heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration. With feedback from technicians on the interface, skills covered and rewards for doing online training, the companies spent the last 18 months building the program, slated to debut in November.

More details here.