• Certified Master HVAC/R Educator (CMHE) The industry’s highest educator credential — recognizing both technical mastery and the demonstrated ability to train others.

• NATE Technical Committee Member — 2019–2021 Contributing to the national standards that define technician competency in the HVACR industry.

• SkillsUSA Aviation Committee Coordinator & Judge — 2020–2023 Supporting workforce development and career pathway programs at the national level.

• California Liaison, ItsAboutQ — 2006–2022 Under the auspices of the California Energy Commission — delivering in-person training on Quality Maintenance, Title 24 compliance, and optimization technologies for utilities, including Southern California Edison.

• Experian Advisory Committee: Contributing industry perspective on market intelligence and workforce trends.

• Author — 13 HVACR Trade Titles Published across commercial refrigeration, ice machine service, and HVAC fundamentals. Distributed through Amazon US and Amazon UK.

• HVAC/R Industry Leadership

  50 Years in the Field and Classrooms

  Scott Oakley graduated from Universal Technical Institute in 1976 and went directly into HVACR service work. He progressed quickly — reaching the Commercial Service Manager position within his first eight years — and then founded and operated a California-based construction and maintenance firm with up to 150 employees under his management. He has held every role in the industry: technician, expert witness, contractor, sales trainer, and curriculum developer.

  That breadth is what separates eTech’s courses from manufacturer-sponsored programs or academic curricula written at a distance from real service work. Scott has diagnosed the failures, replaced the parts, managed the callbacks, and trained the technicians. The courses he develops reflect that — not just what the textbook says should happen, but what actually happens on a service call and how a skilled technician handles it.

  His CMHE credential reflects not just technical knowledge, but a demonstrated ability to transfer that knowledge to others — the distinction that separates a great technician from a great instructor.

  Scott Oakley is the author of 13 HVACR trade titles, with a catalog that spans foundational refrigeration principles to advanced commercial ice machine diagnostics. Key titles include:

• • Commercial Ice Machines…only — the foundational field reference for ice machine service technicians
  • Servicing Commercial Ice Machines (2024) — updated diagnostic and service procedures for modern commercial ice equipment
  • Cool Profits — the business side of HVACR service: pricing, efficiency, and profitability for independent contractors
  • Commercial Refrigeration Resource Guide — available in both US and EU editions, covering regulatory, technical, and field-reference content for commercial refrigeration and ice machine service

Beyond the Shop

Scott has been a multi-engine general aviation pilot since 1972. Over more than five decades, he has logged over 9,500 flight hours across 15+ aircraft — and has spent a significant portion of that time mentoring others into aviation, including volunteer work at the March Air Base Museum. He’ll tell you there’s a direct line between what makes a good pilot and what makes a good technician: systematic thinking, respect for what you don’t know, and the discipline to verify rather than assume. Those habits show up in every eTech course.