The Refrigeration School
The Refrigeration School (RSI) is a Phoenix-based, ACCSC-accredited private vocational trade school founded in 1965 and operated under StrataTech Education Group. It trains individuals in HVAC/R, electrical, welding, electro-mechanical, and mechanical maintenance trades through 7–15 month hands-on programs with VR-augmented hybrid instruction.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersPhoenix, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Refrigeration School does
The Refrigeration School, Inc. (RSI) is a private, ACCSC-accredited vocational trade school founded in 1965 and headquartered at 4210 East Washington Street in Phoenix, Arizona, operating as a subsidiary of StrataTech Education Group. RSI delivers hands-on training in three skilled-trades verticals — HVAC/R, welding, and electrical — across five core programs ranging from 7 to 15 months: Refrigeration Technologies, Electrical Technologies, Welding Specialist, Electro-Mechanical Technologies, and an Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) in Mechanical Maintenance Engineering. Instruction is built on a hybrid model pairing online theory with on-campus lab work using industry-standard equipment and proprietary trainers (E-STAR for electrical troubleshooting, M-STAR for mechanical troubleshooting), augmented by Interplay Learning virtual-reality simulations deployed via Meta Quest 2 headsets that students receive as part of their gear package. The school has placed more than 12,000 graduates into employer-network jobs across 40–44 states and serves a segmented student base that includes recent high-school graduates, career changers, military veterans and active-duty personnel (priced at 90% of standard tuition), out-of-state relocators, and adults without a high-school diploma, the latter supported through partnerships with Smart Schools and Grad Solutions. RSI earns revenue almost entirely from tuition and fees (program total cost $23,525–$42,300), supplemented by financial-aid administration (Pell Grants, federal loans, GI Bill/MyCAA disbursements under federal school code 014127), $1.2M in annual scholarship funding, and an enrollment-driven lead-conversion pipeline supported by a 5,300-employer Career Services network. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through phone, virtual tour, and remote admissions; leadership is CEO Mary Kelly, supported by a VA certifying official and Director of Student Services for the military channel.
The Refrigeration School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Refrigeration School
- Legal name
- The Refrigeration School, Inc.
- Website
- https://rsi.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Refrigeration School (RSI) is a Phoenix-based, ACCSC-accredited private vocational trade school founded in 1965 and operated under StrataTech Education Group. It trains individuals in HVAC/R, electrical, welding, electro-mechanical, and mechanical maintenance trades through 7–15 month hands-on programs with VR-augmented hybrid instruction.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where The Refrigeration School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Phoenix
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Refrigeration School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from tuition charges for vocational training programs ranging from 7-15 months. Tuition varies by program with standard pricing and military pricing options. Additional fees include course materials, lab fees, gear packages, accident insurance, technology fees, and registration fees.
- Military Tuition Pricing: Reduced tuition pricing (90% of standard tuition) for eligible military members including active duty, reserves, National Guard, veterans, spouses, dependents, and military retirees. Active duty military exempt from registration fee.
- Financial Aid Administration: Administer federal grants (Pell Grant), student loans, scholarships, and payment plans for students. School code 014127 for FAFSA.
- GI Bill and VA Benefits: Accepts GI Bill and MyCAA programs for eligible veterans, active duty, and dependents to fund vocational training.
- Scholarship Disbursement: RSI offers institutional scholarships and facilitates external scholarships from organizations including Home Depot Foundation, Metal Supermarkets, AHRI Rees Scholarship, and others.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Electrical Technologies Program - 7 months |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Refrigeration Technologies (HVAC/R) Program - 7 months |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Electro-Mechanical Technologies Program - 10 months |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Associate of Occupational Studies in Mechanical Maintenance Engineering - 15 months |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Welding Specialist Program - 7 months |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Additional Fees Across All Programs |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Military Tuition Pricing (MTP) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
The Refrigeration School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Refrigeration School (RSI) is a private vocational trade school delivering hands-on training programs in HVAC/R (Refrigeration Technologies), Electro-Mechanical Technologies, Welding, Electrical Technologies, and an Associate of Occupational Studies in Mechanical Maintenance Engineering. Programs range from 7 to 15 months and combine on-campus lab instruction with hybrid online theory and supplemental virtual reality simulation (Interplay Learning on Meta Quest 2). The school sells tuition-based training directly to individual students and supports them with career placement services through a network of more than 5,300 employer partners across 44 states.
Product overview
The Refrigeration School (RSI) is a technical trade school offering five vocational training programs: Refrigeration Technologies (HVAC/R), Electro-Mechanical Technologies, Associate of Occupational Studies in Mechanical Maintenance Engineering, Welding Specialist, and Electrical Technologies. Programs range from 7 to 15 months and include supplementary training tools such as the Interplay Learning VR simulator (accessed via Meta Quest 2), and proprietary E-STAR/M-STAR troubleshooting systems. The school provides career services including their Career Connect platform for alumni job placement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Refrigeration Technologies (HVAC/R) Training Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Graduates obtain employment in 44 states with network of over 5,300 employer relationships
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The Refrigeration School
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The Refrigeration School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
The Refrigeration School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- StrataTech Education GroupcoreParent company of The Refrigeration School (RSI). StrataTech Education Group operates multiple vocational training schools and provides shared services including technology platforms (Canvas LMS), privacy policy, and corporate governance. RSI website and operations are powered by Stratatech Education Group.
- Over 5,300 Employer PartnerscoreRSI has partnerships with major employers across the United States. Career Services team supports graduates with job placement assistance including resume preparation, interview coaching, and employer networking. On-campus employer recruitment events and weld testing available.
- Collegiate Housing Services (CHS)minorStudent housing partner providing furnished shared housing apartments within 10 miles of campus. Individual lease arrangements with rent, furniture, utilities, and roommate coordination included. Most apartments house four students in two-bedroom, two-bathroom layouts.
- EDUrentminorStudent housing assistance partner helping RSI students find housing solutions. Services include apartment listings, roommate matching, and financial assistance programs for housing costs.
- University of PhoenixminorArticulation agreement allowing RSI AOS degree graduates to transfer credits to University of Phoenix. Enables graduates to seamlessly continue education at UOP campuses nationwide and internationally.
- Interplay LearningcoreVirtual reality training provider supplying RSI's VR simulation platform for HVAC/R and electrical training. Students receive Meta Quest 2 headsets with Interplay Learning software for remote troubleshooting practice.
- Smart SchoolsminorOnline high school diploma program partner for students needing to complete secondary education before enrolling in RSI vocational programs. Fully accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering flexible, affordable diploma completion.
- Grad SolutionsminorState-funded program partnership for Arizona residents ages 16-21 providing no-cost high school diploma completion through Grad Solutions program before RSI enrollment.
- BankMobileminorThird-party refund disbursement service for delivering financial aid refunds to students. Technology solution powered by BMTX, Inc. for managing student refund payments.
- Home Depot Foundation Path to ProminorPartnership with Home Depot's Path to Pro program supporting skilled trades workforce development. RSI highlighted in Home Depot community outreach initiatives.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Refrigeration School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lincoln Educational Services: Operates Lincoln Tech, a multi-campus for-profit career college with HVAC, electrical, and welding programs that directly compete with RSI for similar student demographics and employer relationships.
- Universal Technical Institute: Large publicly traded provider of trade education including HVAC/R, welding, and electrical programs across multiple US campuses; competes in the same skilled trades training category as RSI.
- Tulsa Welding School: Specialized welding and industrial trade school under the same broader for-profit education ecosystem, directly comparable to RSI's Welding Specialist program and similar hands-on delivery model.
- Porter and Chester Institute: Multi-campus trade school offering HVAC, electrical, and welding programs with similar tuition structure, accelerated timelines, and career services focus to RSI.
- Fortis College and Institute: For-profit trade school network offering HVAC, electrical, and welding programs with comparable 7-12 month program lengths and federal financial aid dependency.
- New England Institute of Technology: Private technical college offering associate and certificate programs in HVAC/R, electrical, and welding technologies with hands-on lab-based instruction similar to RSI's model.
- Arizona Automotive Institute: Sibling institution under StrataTech Education Group offering skilled trades programs in Arizona; directly comparable operation, customer segments, and parent-company economics to RSI.
- WyoTech: Trade school focused on welding, automotive, and mechanical programs with hands-on training delivery and similar accelerated program structure as RSI's welding offering.
- ECPI University: For-profit career college with hands-on technical programs including electronics and mechanical technologies, sharing RSI's career-focused, accelerated-format approach.
Others
- Penn Foster: Online-based vocational and trade education provider; not a direct campus competitor but competes for price-sensitive skilled trades students seeking alternative training pathways.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Refrigeration School social profiles
Digital presenceThe Refrigeration School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Refrigeration School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The Refrigeration School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Refrigeration School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Refrigeration School
What does The Refrigeration School do?
The Refrigeration School (RSI) is a private vocational trade school delivering hands-on training programs in HVAC/R (Refrigeration Technologies), Electro-Mechanical Technologies, Welding, Electrical Technologies, and an Associate of Occupational Studies in Mechanical Maintenance Engineering. Programs range from 7 to 15 months and combine on-campus lab instruction with hybrid online theory and supplemental virtual reality simulation (Interplay Learning on Meta Quest 2). The school sells tuition-based training directly to individual students and supports them with career placement services through a network of more than 5,300 employer partners across 44 states.
Is The Refrigeration School a public or private company?
The Refrigeration School is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Refrigeration School founded?
The Refrigeration School was founded in 1965. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Refrigeration School based?
The Refrigeration School is headquartered in Phoenix, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Refrigeration School make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are military Tuition Pricing, financial Aid Administration, GI Bill and VA Benefits and scholarship Disbursement.
Who are The Refrigeration School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lincoln Educational Services, Universal Technical Institute, Tulsa Welding School, Porter and Chester Institute, Fortis College and Institute, New England Institute of Technology, Arizona Automotive Institute, WyoTech and ECPI University. Penn Foster is listed as an others.
Does The Refrigeration School have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Refrigeration School.