The2005 AHR Expowill host the finals of the HVACR technical competition forSkillsUSA, a national organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled, and service occupations. The event is sponsored by ARI and will take place on February 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the show floor in Orlando.

The competition will determine who will go on to represent the United States in the WorldSkills Competition in Helsinki, Finland in May 2005. Contestants competing at the AHR Expo have been chosen from the winners and runners up from the two most recent years of the annual SkillsUSA Championships held in Kansas City. The contestants will compete against each other and the clock to see who will be the lone U.S. representative to face HVACR students from around the world. The United States first entered the World Skills competition in HVACR in 1995 and won a diploma of honor in 1995 (France), a gold medal in 1999 (Canada), a diploma of honor in 2001 (Korea) and a diploma of honor in 2003 (Switzerland).

"SkillsUSA has proven to be a great contributor to the education of young people entering the HVACR industry for many years," said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company (IEC), producers and managers of the AHR Expo. "The high level of job skill training received by these students builds higher industry standards and promotes excellence among industry technicians."

The students who will compete in the HVAC&R finals at the AHR Expo are:

  • Ryan Hanna - West Virginia
  • Michael Kelly - Nevada
  • Shawn Wasielewski - Pennsylvania
  • Bradley Webb - Kentucky

      The HVACR contestants are tested on their ability to perform such jobs as troubleshooting then recommending service and repair, brazing, refrigerant component servicing, air measurement and troubleshooting, electrical troubleshooting, and refrigerant recovery. They are judged on the basis of their use of tools and test equipment, speed, accuracy, and safety.