Waukegan opens HVAC lab at Washington campus with Johnson Controls partnership

Waukegan CUSD 60 on Feb. 24 highlighted a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) career and technical education lab at Waukegan High School’s Washington campus during an open house attended by students, educators and industry representatives.

Nicholas Alaczakis, director of communications for Waukegan Public Schools, said the district’s growing HVAC program gives students hands-on training and a view of career pathways in the field. “A big thank you to Johnson Controls, whose partnership helped make this state‑of‑the‑art lab a reality,” Alaczakis said in the district’s weekly update.

The district presented the lab as part of its career and technical education offerings intended to provide practical skills that prepare students for employment or further education in HVAC trades. The event included demonstrations and interactions between students, educators and industry partners; no formal approvals or funding votes were recorded during the update.

Johnson Controls was identified by the district as a partner that supported the lab; the district did not specify the financial terms or grant details of that partnership in the recording.

The district said the open house aims to expand student exposure to trade careers and to strengthen relationships with local employers that may offer apprenticeships or hiring pathways. No additional implementation timeline or next steps were specified in the update.