NEIT's Center for Technology and Industry (CTI) has just entered into a long-term training relationship with Pfizer, Inc. of Groton, CT. Pfizer is one of the world's largest producers of pharmaceutical drugs. The Groton campus houses over 5000 employees and is said to have more PhDs than any university in the country. The Groton campus is responsible for research, development and manufacturing.

The Center for Technology and Industry, working closely with Gordon Preiss, Department Chair of Refrigeration/Air-Conditioning Technology, and John Pistolese, Assistant Manager of Pfizer Facility Management, have developed a customized training program focusing on the refrigeration and air-conditioning systems within the Groton campus. All of the classroom and laboratory training is being held in Groton. Pfizer is providing the classroom and lab space. The Refrigeration/Air Conditioning Technology and the Building Construction and Cabinetmaking Technology departments at New England Tech helped construct three new mobile training units, which were transported to Pfizer and are used each day in the labs. The students will be visiting New England Tech to utilize the college's lab facilities once or twice during each module.

The training was designed to be taught in four modules: Basic Refrigeration; Refrigeration and Electricity; Commercial Refrigeration; and Air-Conditioning. The first module was designed to teach the Pfizer technical refrigeration staff the basic principles of refrigeration and how to apply these principles in industrial situations. The Pfizer technicians have a wealth of practical refrigeration experience, and work on a wide range of equipment, from refrigerators to freezer units that are registering 180 degrees below zero.

New England Tech Refrigeration/Air Conditioning Technology faculty member, Bob Yurovchak, is the primary instructor for the program. Bob spends about one-third of the time in the classroom and the rest doing hands-on training experiences in the lab and around the Pfizer campus.

The students have just passed the mid-point of Module I, they all are doing remarkably well and are quite eager to continue with the upcoming training. Ernie Savastano, an NEIT RACH instructor, and Gordon Preiss will be teaching future modules.

New England Tech and Pfizer are developing a long-term and mutually beneficial working relationship. NEIT is very excited about the commitment Pfizer has shown towards providing its employees with the best in technical training and for choosing the college to provide it. Plans are already in the preliminary stages for future training activities in other technical disciplines with Pfizer.

Bob Yurovchak provides instruction to a student