November 10-14, 2026: Ammonia Refrigeration Operator
November 16 and 17: Development and Implementation of PSM for Ammonia Refrigeration Facilities (PSM)
at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center
November 16 and 17: Development and Implementation of PSM for Ammonia Refrigeration Facilities (PSM)
at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center
What is ProAROE?
Professional Ammonia Refrigeration Operator Education (ProAROE) trains experienced, mechanically skilled employees to become certified refrigeration operators, with a focus on seafood processing in Alaska.
What and When are the next classes?
Ammonia Refrigeration Operator (see outline below)
November 10-14, 2026 at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center
Development and Implementation of PSM for Ammonia Refrigeration Facilities (PSM)
This is a full compliance course. (see outline below)
November 16 and 17, 2026 at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center
These classes are distinct and can be taken either together or separately.
How do I participate in the Ammonia Refrigeration Operator class and what will I learn?
Ammonia Refrigeration Operator class consists of:
- A series of online training modules, approximately 1 hour each, with an exam at the end. Individuals can re-take the modules and exams as needed. Participants must successfully complete all required modules before the in-person class begins in April. NOTE: If you have not taken or completed the Assistant Operator 1/2 training, you must successfully complete all online modules before attending the in-person class.
- A 5-day, 36-hour, in-person class (November 10-14, 2026) held at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center.
- Final test and certification of skills completed in-person by iWorkWise.
- Codes and Standards
- Mechanical integrity
- Document control and records management
- Project planning
- Contractor management and management of change
- Oversee changes to the system
- Supervise contractors to ensure work meets specifications
- Plan projects for safety and efficiency
- Understand how codes and standards are to be used
- Implement a maintenance program
- Properly complete required documentation for projects
At the end of the class, if you pass the test, you will given either a "conditional" or "non-conditional" Ammonia Refrigeration Operator certificate. Non-conditional will be issued to individuals with at least 2 years of experience operating ammonia refrigeration systems. Conditional will reflect that you successfully completed the class, but have not yet acquired enough hands-on experience to be a fully independent operator. Once that experience is obtained, a non-conditional certificate will be issued.
What if I missed Assistant Operator 1 or 2? Can I enroll in Ammonia Refrigeration Operator?
If you missed Assistant Operator 1/2, you can still enroll in Ammonia Refrigeration Operator. But you must take all of the online modules for Assistant Operator 1 and 2. Once you successfully pass all of these online modules, you will be certified as Assistant Operator and you may enroll in the Ammonia Refrigeration Operator April in-person class.
How do I participate in the Development and Implementation of PSM for Ammonia Refrigeration Facilities (PSM) class and what will I learn?
- A 2-day, 8-hour, in-person class (November 16 and 17, 2026) held at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center.
- The process safety management (PSM) training class covers how to systematically implement an effective and successful PSM program that not only meets regulatory compliance requirements but becomes part of a company’s safety culture and everyday operations.
- Specific OSHA requirements for each of the 14 PSM elements will be examined using practical, hands-on approaches. Interactive exercises will be employed to ensure that attendees gain mastery of the information. Each attendee will receive an electronic copy of the presentation materials, example forms, and other information, all of which provide a foundation for improving PSM programs.
- The course is designed to be interactive, so attendance is limited.
- Regulatory approach to process safety
- PSM requirements and the importance of the 14 PSM elements
- Strategies for implementation
- Best practices for documentation
- Anyone responsible for PSM program compliance and effective PSM implementation is advised to attend this course (plant managers, compliance officers, process safety managers, engineers, EH&S managers, operations and maintenance personnel, and/or other designated PSM representatives).
How do I register for these classes?
Registration for Ammonia Refrigeration Operator and PSM will begin in late September 2026. A link to the registration site will be posted on alaskaresearchconsortium.org.
If I have questions about the class, please contact Marc Solano, Alaska Sea Grant at [email protected], (907) 486-1505.
What does it cost?
- Ammonia Refrigeration Operator program is $2,750 for ARC members; $2,950 for non-members. Kodiak residents will receive a partial scholarship provided by the Kodiak Island Borough. A materials fee of $250 per person will cover lunch, coffee and course materials.
- Development and Implementation of PSM for Ammonia Refrigeration Facilities 2-day class is $1,200 per person with a $100 materials fee per person to cover lunch, coffee and course materials.
Where will the in-person classes take place?
- The in-person portion of the Ammonia Refrigeration Operator class runs from Tuesday, November 10 through Saturday, November 14 at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center.
- The Development and Implementation of PSM for Ammonia Refrigeration Facilities 2-day class runs from Monday, November 16 - Tuesday, November 17 at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center.
- Lunch, coffee, water and snacks will be provided during all in-person class days.
- All other travel and per diem is the responsibility of the participant.
- We have arranged for a block of rooms at the Best Western Kodiak Inn for this period in November. The hotel provides breakfast.
What does a certificate from ProAROE mean?
What if I want to take the RETA certification test?
If a RETA certificate is desired, ProAROE will enable an individual to take and pass that test with some additional study. The emphasis for ProAROE is different from RETA. ProAROE is focused on ammonia refrigeration and types of equipment in use in the Alaska seafood industry. RETA testing covers additional refrigerants, types of equipment used elsewhere, and places more emphasis on calculations.
Please contact us directly if you are interested in RETA certification testing.
Will the certification courses be offered in Spanish, and perhaps other languages?
That is a goal of the program and we do anticipate the courses will be available in other languages in the future. We do not have the funding to do this at this time.
Why should my company (or I) become a member of the Alaska Research Consortium (ARC)?
The Alaska Research Consortium (ARC) is a statewide non-profit organization. Our mission is to:
“Advocate for sustainable fisheries, marine resources, and the blue economy in support of coastal communities into the next generation. ARC focuses on workforce training, technology development and research that sustains and increases the value of Alaska's marine resources.”
For more information about ARC, see alaskaresearchconsortium.org
Member benefits include:
- A discount on ProAROE ($2,750 for ARC members, $2,950 for non-members).
- Access to training history and certificates for participating employees and employers.
- Information about upcoming seafood processing workforce training and applied research offered through the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center.
- Your membership helps expand continued seafood workforce training programs and applied research in Alaska. Input provided by members identify priorities for future efforts of the ARC.
ARC annual membership levels:
- Large processors/companies with over 2,000 employees – annual membership is $3,000
- Mid-sized processors/companies with over 500 employees – annual membership $2,000
- Small processors/companies with under 500 employees – annual membership $1,000
- Non-profits, Tribes, government, educational institutions – annual membership $500
- Individual members - $200
How has this program been developed?
Pro-AROE has been developed with funding support from a federal grant to the Alaska Research Consortium. Funding has also come from our supporters and members including Matson, Inc and ARC members.
For more information or if you have questions, please contact Paula Cullenberg, ARC, at alaskaresearchconsortium@gmail, (907) 440-6704
More information about Assistant Operator 1 and 2 classes:
Online modules - Fundamentals cover:
- Fundamentals
- Heat Transfer Principles
- Ammonia Safety
- Introduction to Refrigeration Systems & Equipment
- Operator Safe Work Practices
- Documentation, Logs and Recordkeeping
- Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs)
- Compressors
- Evaporators
- Condensers & Purgers
- Valves
- Vessels, Pots & Pumps
- Detectors & Calibration
Assistant Operator 1/2 in-person class covers:
- Hands-on tear down and demonstrations of inner workings of certain equipment
- Safely managing liquid levels and defrosts
- Control systems
- Troubleshooting
- Differences between ammonia and Freon systems; the course covers materials required by EPA 608 (Freon) regulations. The 608 Universal certification test will be available to take after the class for anyone who wants to get their Universal certificate.
Following successful completion, the Assistant Operator 1/2 will be able to:
- Describe the refrigeration cycle,
- Identify all major refrigeration equipment and explain how it works,
- List the fundamentals of working safely around ammonia,
- Start and stop compressors,
- Safely drain oil,
- Safely change plate freezer hoses,
- Safely manage liquid levels and defrosts,
- Test and calibrate fixed and portable ammonia detectors,
- Perform rounds and properly log operations,
- Read Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs),
- Have a basic understanding control systems and troubleshooting
- Understand the differences between ammonia and Freon systems.
What levels of education does ProAROE consist of?
Three levels of certification including online and in-person elements are offered:
Assistant Operator 1
Assistant Operator 2
Operator
Can I test out of Assistant Operator if I have experience or other training?
Not currently. Much like universities have prerequisites for advanced education, for this certification to be most meaningful we need to assure all graduates are not missing pieces of required knowledge. Because much of the training in the industry has been achieved by informal methods, we need to ensure certification provides consistent knowledge and skills, and employers will “know what they are getting” when employing certified operators. We know that experience of current operators is invaluable, however we currently do not have a process to ensure consistency to match this educational program.