HVAC instructor and program coordinator Maurice Jackson works with Kameron Knighten, Demetrius Jordan, and Dondell Pea on a lab project in the Ayers HVAC lab.

HVAC students Ivory Scott, Jimmy Lambert, and Alfred Webb work on a lab project on a condensing unit in the HVAC lab.

“It helps me a lot to actually work on real equipment in the lab. Its hard to get the full picture when you see it in the textbook or on the Powerpoint.” Ivory Scott

Learn more about our Shreveport HVAC training program.

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America Educational Institute Standards Task Team announced that the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has recognized ACCA 12 QH-2011 Existing Homes Evaluation and Performance Improvement standard, according to a press release issued by the organization. The release also states that ACCA 12 QH-2011 was developed by ACCA in the cooperation with the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) and is the first, and only, industry-developed nationally-recognized standard that establishes how to audit, evaluate, develop a scope of work, perform the work approved by a home owner, and test completed work.

“ACCA is proud to offer the home performance community with the first standard for existing homes that is in line with our other ANSI recognized standards,” said Paul T. Stalknecht, ACCA president and CEO. “This new standard provides clear guidelines for how to properly evaluate homes, provide homeowners with appropriate solutions, and then perform the work. And, by requiring third-party verification to ensure that the work was performed correctly, gives more credibility to the contractors who are following the standard and sets them apart.”

“We were happy to work with ACCA to create this standard for existing homes,” says Steve Baden, executive director of RESNET. “RESNET will use the standard as the foundation for its Energy Smart Contractor designation. Having an ANSI standard for existing homes will make the entire industry stronger as a whole.”

As energy efficiency becomes an important factor in home construction and maintenance, AC & Heating/Refrigeration (HVAC-R) technicians are in high demand. The new standards will only further grow the need for professionally trained AC & Heating/Refrigeration (HVAC-R) technicians.
The optimism of air conditioning officials about the future is yet another indication that this field is poised for strong growth and can offer a long-term career option for those looking for a new profession. Students of the AC & Heating/Refrigeration (HVAC-R) Technician training program at Ayers Career College are provided with professional training that makes them some of the most highly sought after job applicants as companies specializing in air conditioning and heating/refrigeration are trying to keep up with rising demands.

Today’s AC & Heating/Refrigeration (HVAC-R) Technicians are called upon to complete a variety of installations and repairs in a wide range of environments. New technologies and the growing number of renovation projects on historic structures is requiring that AC & Heating/Refrigeration (HVAC-R) Technicians have professional training and experience on a wide variety of systems.
Because of the demand for experienced and trained AC & Heating/Refrigeration (HVAC-R) Technicians, the average pay for this position is often higher than other entry-level jobs and the demand for more AC & Heating/Refrigeration (HVAC-R) Technicians continues to grow each year.

Each year the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) issues surveys to contractors in an effort to rate confidence levels referred to as the Contractor Comfort Index. The latest index shows contractors have a cautious optimism about 2012.

“The CCI is calculated based on a survey of the association’s contractor members, who are asked how positive they feel about new business prospects, existing business activity, and expected staffing decisions in the short-term future,” according to a statement from the ACCA. “Weighted and averaged into one number, a CCI of 50 or above reflects anticipated growth.”

The latest index showed a rating of 57 from surveys conducted in February. That means builders and contractors have a positive feeling about the construction industry and believe it is prime for continued growth as it continues its recovery from the 2008 recession. A growth in the construction industry would be just another positive factor for the HVAC industry, which also benefits from growth in domestic oil production, energy efficiency standards and new technology related to AC & Heating/Refrigeration (HVAC-R) systems.

According to a Pharmaceutical Drug Manufactures’ report in 2010, the pharmaceutical industry is expected to see significant growth during the 2010-2011 time period. Some estimates by the report put the growth rate as high as 6 percent as the demand for medication grows. Sales of pharmaceuticals are expected to increase by as much as 7 percent through 2013, according to the report.

A major part of the pharmaceutical industry’s growth will come from anti-diabetic drugs and medication treating cardiovascular diseases, according to the Pharmaceutical Drug Manufacturers report. The report also predicts that cardiovascular patients will increase to 251 million during the 2010-2011 time period. The United States will account for a major portion of that growth as lifestyle changes continue to put Americans at a greater risk for obesity and heart disease, which is increasingly being treated with medication.

Americans continue to grow in their access to medication and as new medications are created for more illnesses, diseases and conditions, the demand for drugs is only expected to get bigger. But the pharmaceutical industry’s growth around the world is also adding to growth in the U.S. As countries like India, China, South Korea and Brazil continue to develop and improve their quality of life; more and more manufacturers of pharmaceuticals are popping up across the globe, which means more drugs are being created. And the more drugs that are being created, the more people will want access to those new medications.

Whether an increasingly medicated society is a good thing or not –and most health professionals believe it is- is up for debate. But the fact is that the pharmaceutical industry’s growth means the demand for pharmacy workers is greater than ever, especially for pharmacy technicians, who fill a vital role in helping patients fill prescriptions and access important insurance information. Pharmacy technicians are required to have a variety of skills as they often bridge the gap between clinical and administrative duties.

At Ayers Career College students are prepared for a career as a pharmacy technician and trained to play an important role in this growing career field. Training can take less than a year and the prospects of landing a job as a pharmacy technician are strong as pharmacies, hospitals, grocery stores and Internet pharmacies are growing.

According to the CDC, factors that lead to a risk of heart disease include high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, tobacco use, unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, and second hand smoke. Knowing heart attack signs and symptoms can help save patients’ lives, according to the CDC and the National Pharmacy Technician Association.

Signs of a heart attack include chest discomfort, pain in one arm or both arms, pain in the back, neck, jaw, or stomach, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, dizziness, and lightheadedness.

Monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol levels are also important things to monitor on a regular basis, along with eating a balanced and healthy diet, exercising and reducing levels of stress. Certain medications are also able to help lower cholesterol and those medications are growing in popularity as more Americans suffer from some form of heart disease.

Doctors play an important role in helping to educate the public on what signs to look out for when it comes to heart disease, but pharmacy technicians are also important as they often speak with customers in a less formal environment yet still have an expertise on health subjects.

Pharmacy technicians play an important role in the healthcare industry, especially as the demand on pharmaceutical services continues to grow. A career as a pharmacy technician can provide a stable and long-lasting career, especially for those that receive professional training from a respected school like Ayers Career College.

Ayers Career College offers one of the nation’s best Pharmacy Technician training programs where students learn a wide variety of skills, including how to provide valuable technical and clerical support to pharmacists, mixing and re-packaging medication, and delivering drugs to patients. Students are also trained to maintain computer files dealing with patients and their medications.

If you are someone who wants to work in the healthcare industry, particularly in the field of pharmaceuticals, and you place a high value on honesty and integrity, then this could be the career field for you. However, you don’t have to complete several years of training to become a pharmacists because the Ayers Career College’s Pharmacy Technician training program provides students with a timely path to this career field. Students receive professional training to become a Pharmacy Technician and are put in a position to secure some of the best jobs in this industry. The demand for Pharmacy Technicians has never been higher and employers are looking for technicians that have professional training and experience, as well as those possessing strong character.

“Although statins can be helpful in lowering harmful levels of cholesterol they also carry warnings and side-effects,” a NPTA release said. “When statins are combined with a healthy and balanced diet they work to lower a patients bad cholesterol levels. Reducing unhealthy cholesterol levels can help reduce the risk of a heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.”

The FDA is asking patients to discuss use of statin drugs with their pharmacist and doctor. The FDA is also informing drug makers that they can remove a label warning stating that liver enzymes need to be monitored during statin usage. Statin drugs affected by changes in labeling are: Lipitor (atorvastatin), Lescol (fluvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), Altoprev (lovastatin extended-release), Livalo (pitavastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Crestor (rosuvastatin), and Zocor (simvastatin). Combination products include: Advicor (lovastatin/niacin extended-release), Simcor (simvastatin/niacin extended-release), and Vytorin (simvastatin/ezetimibe), according to the NPTA.

“We want health care professionals and patients to have the most current information on the risks of statins, but also to assure them that these medications continue to provide an important health benefit of lowering cholesterol,” said Mary Parks, M.D., director for the division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products in the Office of Drug Evaluation II in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

As the use of prescription drugs is rapidly growing in America the FDA is attempting to provide better oversight of the industry. The growth is also leading to a demand for more pharmacy technicians, especially those who receive professional training from a school like Ayers Career College.

EXCELLENT ATTENDANCE AWARDS FOR GRADING PERIOD ENDING 4/19/2012
Pharmacy Technician Students:

Donna DeBello, Vickie Fisher, Chandellette Hudson, and Chastity Sykes

“I was shocked but happy to receive this award. I try very hard to make it to school everyday.” – Vickie Fisher

Tierra Handy, Shavonsa McCray, and Tameika Moore

Amberly Smith, Melanie Huff, and Monica Bogan

Medical Assistant Students:

Nedra Gumper

Beverly Hall, Sharon Glover, Crystal Mangham, Shekeirea Hymes, Leila Masters, and Wendy Reid

Shekeirea Hymes is especially excited after receiving her first ever excellent attendance award.

“It is a wonderful feeling to be rewarded for coming to school everyday. I couldn’t do this without the help of my mom Sheila Hymes and my boyfriend Tony Lewis.”
- Shekeirea Hymes

HVAC Students:

Jason Modisette, Ivory Scott, and Tim Colamarino

Nicholas Lott and Shannon Clarkson

“It feels great to get this award. It is hard work.” – Nicholas Lott

Antonio Mobley and Ashton Bennett

“I’m seeing a lot of people the last two weeks coming in with a lot of wheezing and coughing,” Dr. Mark Kalenian with Alabama Asthma and Allergy said recently in a Dothen Eagle article on the predicted increase in allergy cases across the nation predicted for this spring. The article also reported that pharmacies are seeing an increase in allergy related prescriptions. Pharmaceutical officials say there is a much higher number of allergy drugs on the market today and is just another example of the industry’s growth and the need for professionally trained pharmacy technicians who work closely with customers/patients to help them fill prescriptions and answer questions about the medicine they are taking.

The Ayers Career College’s Pharmacy Tech training program prepares students with the skills they need to become a reliable member of a pharmacy healthcare team. In addition to providing valuable technical and clerical support to pharmacists, a pharmacy technician mixes, re-packages, labels and delivers drugs to patients. Students may also maintain computer files dealing with patients and their medications.

In less than a year, students could be out of our Pharmacy Technician training school and into a stable career.

Few employment sectors have a projected rate of growth as high as the medical assistant field, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts will grow by almost 35 percent over the next 10 years. That equates to almost 200,000 positions in the medical assistant field that will need to be filled as medical assistants play an important role in the rapidly growing healthcare sector.

A career as a medical assistant is attractive for many job seekers because it offers a chance to work in the growing healthcare sector where job security is stronger and the pay is higher when compared to many other employment fields. However, the best way to secure a job in this growing field is by completing a professional training program, such as the medical assistant training program at Ayers Career College, where some of the nation’s best medical assistants are beginning their career.

Because this sector is growing so fast, healthcare providers are looking for medical assistants that have the right kind of training and are able to hit the ground running in their new job. The healthcare sector is expanding every year and that means more doctors, nurses and medical assistants are needed to help meet the growing demand. While it is often preferred that medical assistants have professional training, the job can be secured with no college experience, making this a great career field for those without a college degree but who want to enter a professional work environment that offers good pay and a long-lasting career.

Completing the medical assistant training program at Ayers Career College can put you in the best position to be placed in your ideal job, but it can also help prepare you for advancement opportunities, which often go to those that have the best work skills and prior training. The opportunity to become a medical office manager or various administrative management positions are often given to those that already possess professional medical assistant training. More training may be required to advance, but those that already have medical assistant training will be better positioned to apply for various promotions and receive additional training that may be required.

At Ayers Career College students of the medical assistant training program are equipped with theskills today’s medical offices are looking for when hiring medical assistants. With the health care industry showing rapid growth, medical assistants are in high demand and those with the proper training, like students of Ayers Career College, are at an advantage in getting these high-paying and stable jobs.

Medical assistants play an important part of a healthcare facility and they are also helping to ensure patients receive the most efficient care possible, especially as demand for healthcare services continues to grow. Information is power, especially in the medical field, and the more information a doctor has when he or she visits with a patient, the more help that doctor is going to be able to offer. That’s why it is critical for a doctor’s office or hospital to have medical assistants who can meet with patients and record important information that the doctor or trained medical professional can have available when they meet with a patient.

Medical assistants prepare patients for examinations and record medical history. They also assist with some examinations and perform routine office laboratory procedures.

The level of technology used in healthcare facilities is also growing, meaning today’s medical assistants must be adequately trained in software systems and other computer programs that are used to chart medical history and vital signs. The digitization of medical records is a growing phenomenon and medical assistants plan an important role in this process.

If you would like to enter this growing field and industry then completing the medical assistant training program at Ayers Career College is a great first step. This flexible program is providing some of the best professional training in the medical assistant field and preparing students for a long lasting and rewarding career.