ThermalTran Supports the Next Generation of HVAC Technicians Through CFCC Apprenticeships
For ThermalTran owner Ryan Mattox, partnering with Cape Fear Community College is more than a workforce development opportunity. It is personal.
Ryan graduated from Cape Fear Community College’s Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Technology program in 2007. Today, he is helping the next generation of HVAC technicians gain the same kind of hands-on foundation that helped launch his own career. CFCC recently highlighted that full-circle story in a video showcasing ThermalTran’s support of the college’s apprenticeship program.
Coming Full Circle With Cape Fear Community College
Ryan’s path into the HVAC industry started locally. After attending CFCC, he built ThermalTran from the ground up, beginning with basic heat pump installations for friends and family before growing the company through relationships, trust, and a commitment to doing quality work. ThermalTran has now been in business for 18 years and many of the company’s technicians are graduates of CFCC’s HVAC program.
That connection matters. For Ryan, supporting CFCC apprenticeships is a way to give back to the program that gave him his start while helping students enter a skilled trade with strong long-term potential.
In CFCC’s feature, Ryan shared that Cape Fear gave him a strong foundation and helped him understand the depth of the HVAC field. Heating, cooling, and refrigeration work is not just about fixing equipment. It requires technical skill, problem-solving, safety knowledge, electrical understanding, customer service, and the ability to keep learning as systems continue to evolve.
Why HVAC Apprenticeships Matter
The demand for qualified HVAC technicians continues to grow. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers to grow 8% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. BLS also projects about 40,100 openings each year on average during that period.
For students interested in a hands-on career, an HVAC apprenticeship can provide a practical path forward. Instead of learning only in a classroom, apprentices gain real-world experience while working alongside experienced professionals.
Cape Fear Community College’s Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Technology program helps students build skills for residential and light commercial systems. Coursework includes heating and cooling theory, mechanical refrigeration, electricity, controls, safety, furnaces, heat pumps, tools, and instruments. CFCC also notes that graduates should be prepared to assist with start-up, preventive maintenance, service, repair, and installation of residential and light commercial systems.
Learning the Trade in the Field
One of the biggest benefits of an HVAC apprenticeship is the combination of classroom instruction and hands-on learning. Students are not just reading about systems. They are seeing how equipment performs in real homes and businesses, how service calls are handled, how experienced technicians troubleshoot issues, and how the work impacts customers day to day.
That kind of experience can make a major difference for someone starting an HVAC career.
Through ThermalTran’s partnership with CFCC, apprentices have the opportunity to learn from a local company that values teaching, mentorship, and sharing knowledge. In April 2025, CFCC highlighted HVAC student and ThermalTran apprentice Silas Woolard, who shared that he has been gaining real-world experience by riding with team leads and learning skills he can use in the field.
For ThermalTran, that investment is part of a bigger purpose: helping students build confidence, develop practical skills, and understand what it takes to succeed in the skilled trades.
Building the Future of the Local HVAC Workforce
Across Wilmington, New Hanover County, and the Cape Fear region, skilled trades are essential to keeping homes, businesses, schools, restaurants, offices, and commercial spaces running. HVAC technicians play a major role in daily comfort, indoor air quality, energy efficiency, equipment performance, and emergency service needs.
As experienced tradespeople retire, the need to train new technicians becomes even more important. Ryan summed it up clearly in CFCC’s feature: the industry needs to train people.
That is where apprenticeship programs can have a lasting impact. CFCC partners with more than 115 employers to create apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs that combine classroom instruction with paid, on-the-job training. These programs help businesses build talent pipelines while giving students a clearer path into high-demand careers.
CFCC has also continued expanding apprenticeship opportunities in the region. In 2026, the college announced a $3 million investment from The Endowment to support the Cape Fear for Careers: New Hanover County Apprenticeship Accelerator, an initiative focused on expanding apprenticeship opportunities and strengthening the local workforce pipeline.
Giving Back to the Community Through Opportunity
At its core, ThermalTran’s support of CFCC apprenticeships is about more than hiring. It is about giving back to the community in a way that creates real opportunity.
Ryan knows firsthand how much a strong technical education can change someone’s path. By partnering with CFCC, ThermalTran is helping students gain experience, discover their strengths, and see what a future in HVAC can look like.
This kind of community involvement benefits everyone. Students gain training and mentorship. Local businesses gain access to developing talent. Customers benefit from technicians who are better prepared. The Cape Fear region benefits from a stronger skilled trades workforce.
For ThermalTran, it is also a reflection of the company’s culture. As Ryan shared with CFCC, ThermalTran is a teaching company. That mindset helps create an environment where knowledge is shared, apprentices are supported, and the next generation of HVAC professionals can grow.
A Local HVAC Company Invested in the Cape Fear Region
ThermalTran is proud to support Cape Fear Community College and the students preparing for careers in heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration. As a local HVAC company serving Wilmington and surrounding communities, ThermalTran understands the importance of investing in the people who will help keep this region comfortable, efficient, and moving forward.
The CFCC apprenticeship video is a meaningful reminder of what happens when education, local business, and community commitment come together.
For Ryan and the ThermalTran team, this partnership is not just about where the HVAC industry is today. It is about helping build what comes next.
Interested in learning more about ThermalTran and our commitment to the Cape Fear community? Contact our team today.