The science of switching careers: HCC student finds new calling in HVAC

After spending 20 years as a polymer scientist helping develop materials used in products ranging from automobiles to athletic shoes, Houston City College (HCC) student Sharman McGilbert is charting a new course. She is pursuing a degree in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC), proving it’s never too late to learn a new trade and build on a lifetime of experience.

McGilbert began her career as a laboratory technician and progressed through the ranks to become a principal polymer scientist for a specialty chemicals company in the Houston area. A graduate of Texas Southern University, she spent her career contributing to innovations that helped improve everyday life.

The spark for her second career came while working on the cutting edge of energy innovation. Before transitioning from her scientific position, McGilbert contributed to a team project that was a finalist in the Global Cooling Prize, an international initiative focused on reducing the energy consumption and carbon footprint of residential air conditioning systems.

“A colleague was explaining the refrigeration cycle, and I became more interested in how the prototype would improve cooling efficiency,” McGilbert shared. “I started thinking about how important these systems are, how much they impact people when they are not working, and what it takes to repair them.”

McGilbert was already familiar with HCC. Between 2015 and 2017, she took graphic design courses to strengthen her presentation and communication skills. In fall 2025, she returned to HCC and, in a short amount of time, completed her Level C1 HVAC certificate. She is now continuing toward an associate of applied science degree and expects to complete the program within the next year.  

One of the things McGilbert appreciates most about HCC is the program’s accelerated eight-week course format, which allowed her to move through the curriculum efficiently while gaining valuable hands-on experience.

A passionate advocate for women in the skilled trades, McGilbert hopes her journey encourages others, particularly women, to consider technical careers. A lifelong do-it-yourself enthusiast, she taught her daughters how to use tools and tackle projects independently. Today, one daughter is a student in the HCC Construction Management program, while the other develops training for construction bidding software.

Looking ahead, McGilbert hopes to work in commercial HVAC and industrial refrigeration before ultimately becoming an instructor and mentor.

“I’d like to become proficient enough to teach,” she explained. “Anything mechanical is right up my alley. I love tools. I love solving problems and thinking my way through things. I have a knack for relating complicated ideas in layman’s terms, and that falls in line with teaching.”

To learn more about the HVAC program at Houston City College, visit hccs.edu/hvac.