HVAC Technicians: A Career in Demand
Are you someone who sees all the angles? Are you mechanically inclined and can see through the walls in any building? If that is you, then HVAC may just be a place for you to thrive.
HVAC is an acronym for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. In this industry, you will be installing and servicing just about anything that moves air, heats it, and cools it. Of course, there are varying degrees of projects for the average HVAC technician, as you may be servicing an “outdoor unit” on the side of a motor home, or installing 4-foot diameter duct work in a skyscraper. Either way, it is important that you need proper HVAC training in order to do your job sufficiently. If you do not, then you will remain “in the dark” on many trade secrets, you will inevitably hit a wage and career potential ceiling, and you will most likely not have any responsibility within your company.
If you hope to have your own HVAC business, then you are almost required to have HVAC certification, as you will not be able to find clients. The right training and certification is your key to having a respectable career and excellent wages.
The Helper
HVAC Training and Certification
Many who go into HVAC begin as “helpers”. Helpers do basically what the job sounds like. They help. They don’t take responsibility for anything, they don’t have any formal training, and they make a small hourly wage. Most helpers will find themselves anywhere between $9 and $11 per hour.
Being a helper means that you will probably be tagging along in the van on the way to the jobsite. Your job description and duties will basically be the mundane stuff that the foreman does not really want to do.
So, you will most likely be installing the small, circular duct work, putting together square insulation ducts, crimping, running electrical wires, drilling holes, installing brackets, etc. You will basically be doing all of the laborious work, without getting into anything too technical.
In most cases, you will usually find the HVAC rookies at this level. So, these will mostly be young people and those with little experience. Now, it is certainly possible to move up from there without any formal HVAC training, but it will be very difficult to do so.
Moving On Up
The beauty of beginning as a helper is the fact that it will give you the basics, and an understanding of the inner workings of the industry. In fact, it may be best to begin as a mere helper in your first one to two years before you attempt to go from there. Being a helper will teach much, if you are willing to pay attention to what the foreman is doing. Becoming a foreman and having HVAC certification is the goal.
Your next step is to get enrolled into an HVAC school, which will not be difficult. In fact, you will most likely have a school nearby that offers HVAC certification. Most of these will be tech or trade schools, but from them, you will actually earn an AAS degree (Associates of Applied Science).
HVAC Training Centers
Of course, we’ve all heard of these learning institutions, probably on late night TV or in the middle of the day. But, believe it or not, these schools have serious potential in helping you earn a degree and get your earning potential to a very respectable point.
Many of these tech and trade schools will offer HVAC training, which means that you will gain several skills that may even assist you in other fields. Often times, receiving an AAS will allow you to transition smoothly from HVAC to plumbing and electrical work. In fact, much of what you will be learning is going to be electrical skills, building codes, hydraulics, and plumbing. These schools will put you in a very valuable position, which can be very lucrative for you. Especially if you were originally a helper, then you are not walking directly into a school, and blindly entering a jobsite, armed with nothing more than “book knowledge”.
As an HVAC technician, it is very important that you enroll in HVAC schools, as your field requires very broad knowledge.
For instance, you will need to apply your electrical knowledge, as this is necessary for installing a furnace or geothermal unit. Some of these electrical components are very complex, and will require more than just a little experience and a basic idea. There are serious health and injury risks if you are not properly trained. In addition to that, HVAC must deal with condensation and other plumbing properties, so knowledge about fluid mechanics is necessary. As you can see, this field requires more than your average knowledge about how air moves, as there is much involved.
Expanding Potential with an HVAC Certification
One of the best parts about HVAC certification and especially HVAC training schools is that it will give you the opportunity to break from the company of your employment, and enter the realm of entrepreneurship. In fact, there is a rather large percentage of HVAC workers with these aspirations.
So, one of the biggest advantages in earning your AAS is the fact that you may even be able to take that one step further and learn about business marketing and management. This is crucial if you are looking to start your own HVAC business, but with that knowledge, you will not sell yourself short.
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