CSM Students Find Success in Growing Construction Trades

Jim Brincefield was searching for new professional opportunities when he enrolled in the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) certificate program for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. The program marked the beginning of a career as a general manager, business owner, and mentor to tradespeople entering the field. 

Following a lifelong interest in math and science, Brincefield began his career as a math tutor in 2018. But after a few years, he was ready for a new direction that would allow him to apply his skills in the trades. Inspired by his father, a charter fisherman who instilled in him the value of hard work, Brincefield decided to pursue a career in HVAC. 

“Going from something where I had to sit at a desk and just use my mind to using my mind and body was an incredibly refreshing and fulfilling transition,” Brincefield said. “Where I was getting fulfillment from using my skills to teach kids math, I’m helping others through my diagnostics. I can’t explain seeing the smile on customers’ faces when we’re able to provide a great service and truly help someone who is in a bad situation.” 

Brincefield spent four years working as a technician while taking night classes, completing the HVAC certificate program in 2024. He’s now the general manager at Alliance Heating and Cooling. Brincefield said the program is designed to encourage students to work in the field alongside their classroom work to maximize their learning and experience. He credits this flexibility and the qualified program instructors with helping him find this success.  

“In a day and age when you can submit 100 resumes and not hear back, CSM really provides an in to the industry that nothing else provides,” Brincefield said. “Because of the reputation CSM has, when you say you went there for HVAC, you have a leg up.”  

Demand for skilled tradespeople is expected to remain strong as employers fill new positions and experienced workers retire. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction continues to be among the fastest-growing employment sectors in Maryland. A national trades report by the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades projects that more than 600,000 new trades positions nationwide are expected to open by 2035, with an additional 1.7 million annual jobs opening from retirement, or life or career changes. Nearly one in four trades workers is 55 years of age or older.  

The CSM Center for Trades and Energy Training is helping workers learn the skills to fill workforce gaps. Director and Master Trainer Michael Langton said enrollment is growing as more students recognize the opportunities available in the trades. 

“Enrollment in these programs continues to grow as more students see the opportunities the trades offer,” Langton said. “This work isn’t going away, and employers need skilled workers. Our students are recognizing that these programs can be a pathway to successful careers.”  

CSM offers certificate programs in a variety of construction sector trades, including HVAC, Maryland Home Improvement Contractor Exam Prep, Maryland Home Improvement License Exam Prep, welding, electrical, and home inspection. Langton has also seen new trends in the students pursuing these programs, including an increase in younger students and women entering the trades, with HVAC among the center’s most popular areas of study. 

The center works with regional employers and industry experts to keep its courses aligned with workforce needs and to hire experienced instructors. The programs are designed for students to develop skills for immediate employment while earning credentials for future opportunities. 

“A certificate can give you the skills to build a career, grow into a different role, or eventually start your own business,” Langton said.  “You don’t have to do physical labor forever, but can build on those skills and take your career in a new direction. And if you choose a new path, having those skills can save you thousands of dollars on home projects and repairs.”  

For Brincefield, using these certificates has always been the first step toward bigger goals. In addition to his career in HVAC, he continued his learning and earned a home improvement license to open Brincefield Crawl Space Solutions, which now employs 13 workers. Now, as business owner and manager, he mentors technicians and encourages others to consider careers in the trades.  

“My experience at CSM gave me an acceleration of learning that I’m now as a manager able to pass on to my new technicians,” Brincefield said. “That’s how I was helped by CSM and my mentors. I was just a young kid with no experience, and someone took a chance on me, and I think it’s equally important for me to provide that same opportunity for young people coming in interested in the trades.”  

CSM will be holding several construction sector trade courses this spring, including HVAC, Home Inspection Training, and Maryland Home Improvement License. The Continuing Education and Workforce Development website has a list of available courses and information on how to enroll.