In 1941, a consortium of management and labor organizations combined resources to form the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Apprenticeship Training Program. The purpose of this program was simple: Provide professional, dedicated apprenticeship training to meet America's needs for qualified air conditioning and refrigeration personnel.

Shortly thereafter, the United States entered World War II and the focus of American industry turned to the war effort. In 1949, with the burgeoning growth in Southern California, the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Training Center (ARC) was opened in Los Angeles.

Over the past fifty years virtually 100% of Los Angeles/Orange County union air conditioning and refrigeration members have been graduates of ARC- in topics as diverse and important as hydronics, air and water balance, centrifugals, absorption systems, controls (pneumatic, electric and DDC(direct digital controls)), and customer relations.