Heating and air conditioning is a growing field, and the future is bright for careers in HVAC. Here’s the career outlook for heating and air conditioning repair.
Perhaps you just graduated from high school. Maybe you work full-time, but aren’t satisfied with your present career. Perhaps your position was eliminated.
Whatever the circumstances, you should consider a career as a heating and air conditioning repair technician.
Would this be a wise career move for you? Is the outlook positive for careers in HVAC? The answer is “yes.” HVAC career opportunities this year and beyond are expected to increase.
But there’s more to the profession than growth. Here are some specifics you should know:
What Do HVAC Technicians Do?
HVAC technicians deal with all aspects of residential and commercial heating and cooling. Not only would you help install these systems, you’d also maintain and repair them.
The systems you could deal with include furnaces, air conditioners, boilers and heat pumps. But furnaces and air conditioners are usually your primary focus.
This is a physical job that requires a good deal of expertise. You must be willing to lift heavy machinery on a regular basis. You also must be able to use a range of tools to repair mechanical problems.
As an HVAC technician, you’d most likely employed by an HVAC company. But some technicians strike out on their own and become their own bosses., although that’s not always easy.
What is the Outlook for HVAC Careers?
The good thing about the HVAC industry is it’s always needed. There won’t ever come a time when home and property owners don’t heat and cool their respective structures. For this reason, the job security of HVAC technicians is high.
Perhaps you wonder whether it’s possible to break into the HVAC profession. Does the industry need new HVAC technicians? The answer is a bold and unflinching “yes.”
The U.S. Department of Labor expects HVAC jobs to increase by 15% from 2016 to 2026. On a national level, that means about 48,800 more jobs.
If you study to become an HVAC repair technician, you stand a great chance at landing (and keeping) a well-paying job.
What Skills Must You Have for HVAC Repair?
HVAC repair is not mindless work. You need a variety of skills to excel in your HVAC career. Some of those skills are physical while others are mental.
First and foremost, you must have strength and physical endurance. There’s a lot of bending, walking, lifting, and contorting in HVAC work.
You also must have adequate math skills. Throughout the course of each job, you’ll make a number of different calculations, mostly about heater or air conditioner load size.
Customer service skills are needed, too, because you deal with your customers on a face-to-face basis.
What About HVAC Salaries and Compensation?
By now you’re likely curious how much HVAC technicians earn. While exact salaries are highly dependent on specific geographical areas, there are aggregate salary statistics available.
Nationally as of 2018, the median pay for an HVAC technician is about $47,610.00 or $22.89 per hour. But HVAC business owners can make substantially more than that.
In Nebraska, HVAC technicians in the top 10 percent of their field earned an average salary of $73,154 ($35.17 hourly) as of 2015, according to the state Department of Labor.
Also, HVAC technicians tend to make more money the longer they’ve been in the profession.
How to Become an HVAC Technician
Are you interested in becoming an HVAC technician? If so, here’s how you do it.
While the profession requires some training, the amount of formal schooling is minimal. In fact, if you start now, you could work as an HVAC technician by the end of the year.
Here are the requirements needed to launch your HVAC career:
Graduate from High School
First and foremost, you need either graduate from high school or earn your GED (General Educational Development) certificate. This is a prerequisite to the required secondary education.
Enroll in an HVAC Program
Once you either graduate or earn your GED, enroll in an HVAC program of some kind. Generally, these programs are at trade schools and community colleges. They typically last for between 6 months and two years.
Ultimately, you earn either certification or an Associate’s Degree in HVAC.
Become an Apprentice
After you’re certified, you look for work. Generally, HVAC technicians start in apprenticeships. They work alongside experienced technicians to get guided, hands-on training.
While an apprentice, you’re slowly introduced to each aspect of the profession. First, you complete simple tasks like insulating refrigerant lines. You may think it’s “grunt work,” but it’s an essential part of the career you chose. Shortly, you complete more-complex tasks like soldering and electrical fitting.
Along the way, you learn HVAC planning, safety, installation and repair practices. In essence, you slowly transform into a well-rounded HVAC technician capable of independent action.
Find Work as a Technician
Generally, HVAC apprenticeships last between three and five years. Once you complete your apprenticeship, you look for full-time work.
Often, the company you apprenticed with will see your value and offer you a full-time position as a certified HVAN repair technician
In other cases, you apply to various HVAC companies throughout your geographical area.
Earn Your State Certification
In most states, certification is needed to perform HVAC installation and repairs. This certification confirms you have the knowledge and skills to sufficiently perform the tasks at hand.
According to the www.hvacschool.org/nebraska/ website, Nebraska doesn’t have state-level licensing. Instead, HVAC professionals are licensed through the towns and cities they work in.
These municipal licensing agencies established their own license programs, which have different costs and requirements. It takes careful planning in Nebraska to decide what preparations you need to make to get the right local-level license.
Across the Missouri River, the www.Iowa.gov website says Iowa does have statewide licensing:
“Certification from North American Technician Excellence Inc. (NATE) or a Service Technician Associate degree or equivalent board-approved training is required for licensure.”
Do You Need HVAC Repair Services?
Do you, by chance, need heating or air conditioning repair in the Omaha, Nebraska, area? If so, Eyman Plumbing, Heating & Air are the people to count on.
In business since 1957, we’ve repaired countless heaters and air conditioners throughout the Omaha NE area. Our team looks forward to repairing your heater or air conditioning next.
Call (402) 731-2727 to schedule a service appointment or fill out our employment interest form if your interested in learning more about working at Eyman.