Heat pumps and air conditioners are very similar. I want to share my experience with heat pumps and how they operate to give you cooling in the summer and heating in the winter.
Continue readingDefrost Mode On A Heat Pump
Should I Go to HVAC School or Get Hired as an HVAC Apprentice?
People entering the trades question whether they should start their journey out by going to an HVAC trade school or by trying to get hired on with a company as an apprentice. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world. The answer to that will differ based on the company you’re trying to get on with, and what YOU want as a future employee.
I think after reading this blog post you’ll have the confidence to start your way into the trades by figuring out this question.
Intro
My intention for this post is not to suggest whether you
should or should not go to trade or vocational school to start learning your
trade. There are a lot of my audience reading
this in a classroom right now. And
really, there’s nothing preventing you from doing both. You can never have too much training and
education. In fact, my company offers
continuous training on a weekly basis.
New information, best practices, and advanced technology are constantly
updating in this field.
But if you’re reading this, you’ve decided that working in
an office setting is not for you. You’ve
decided you want to work in a different setting. One that changes on a daily basis.
An HVAC technician that learns installation and service is
really diversified and becomes proficient at more than just HVAC skills, but
plumbing, gas, electrical, construction, framing, aerodynamics, thermodynamics,
roofing, structural engineering, etc.
Where are you going to learn all of this?
My Story
I was a mechanic in the air force after graduating high
school, but I don’t think that really played much of part in my first company
hiring me, other than I was manageable.
I went to a job fair they had and listened to their job descriptions and
everything they had to say. I deciphered
that they really needed install helpers, so that’s what I told them I wanted to
do.
The next day they called me for an interview. I went in with a polo shirt, jeans and some
clean black boots, and breezed right through an interview that basically was held
just to see how I spoke for myself. It
was more of a conversation to determine what kind of personality I had. And, they hired me with no HVAC knowledge at
all!
I started learning how to install HVAC equipment, run gas
pipes, line sets, handle high and low voltage, frame out a new return can, and
how to run ductwork properly – all while getting paid, and learning some
valuable fundamentals for later on in my career as a service technician. I got some good overtime hours, and pretty
much doubled my starting pay within a year.
But is it that easy for everyone? It can be.
Going the Apprentice Route
Most local companies in your area provide either residential
or commercial HVAC services. Some companies do both. It really seems like companies who value
their employees have no problem training them, or paying for them to go to
training after they’re hired. The
benefit to you as a person looking to work somewhere is, these companies get
someone trained up the way they need them to be. It’s also more efficient for you because it
saves you a lot of money and you get trained for the job you’ll be performing. So, you get your training in the classroom
either at the shop you work at, or at a school they send you to.
I found most HVAC company owners I speak with would rather
take on a new employee who doesn’t have any experience, but has a great
personality, than taking on a skilled technician who has no class, can’t hold a
conversation, or has no teamwork mentality.
The reason is that they can be trained in the way that the company wants
them to be trained.
Early Spring
Bigger companies typically hire more techs per year than
smaller companies. So, if you’re looking
to get on with a company, I tell people to start with the bigger companies
around town. Also, February to April, (early
spring) is the best time to try because companies are looking to ramp up their
staff to get ready for the busy summer season.
And that’s a great way to get on to prove yourself to the company that
hires you.
But I’ve heard that some of those big companies will also
lay off folks when it slows back down after the summer. And that really saddens me. It’s got to be frustrating for those
techs. But I think everyone makes their
own way where they work.
My company and the company I worked at before don’t practice laying people off. Some techs might lose some hours because their employer is slow and didn’t have the work for them, but either way, when it did slow down (like every HVAC business does during the off-season) my employer kept me busy because I was out there proving myself worthy of being on the clock every day.
During that first couple of years as an installer, working
hard, staying busy, and getting the job done in a timely manner kept me busy
all year. That’s what employers like to
see.
The Facts About Trade School
There’s no such thing as too much education. Look at the people who check out channels
like mine. It’s because they’re seeking
more input about the HVAC field.
An apprenticeship you’ve been given can be shortened
significantly with a degree you earn at a trade school. Completing an organized class dedicated to the
HVAC field is a huge help. The teachers
of those classes are typically seasoned veterans who have been out there and
done that for years. Getting the
opportunity to learn from these experts is a great opportunity for you to learn
and pick up some really good knowledge.
Getting Hands-On Training
Taking classes after you’ve been hired on deepens your
understanding of the HVAC industry even more. And going to a trade school puts you in a
setting unlike a university because you’re not sitting in a big lecture
hall. Typically, these training centers
have air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, ductwork, and other HVAC equipment
already set up, so you get hands-on-training while going to class. It won’t be the same intensity as learning it
out in the field, but it’s a great start.
A lot of trade schools have connections with HVAC companies in
your area, too. So, it’s nice to have
that in your back pocket as you approach graduation. That’s the point of it all anyway, to have a
job when you get out of school.
At a trade school, you get your degree faster than going to
a university. They will likely require
that you take classes that may not have much to do with the HVAC field. A trade school can get you in and out in
about 6 months, which means you have a good start to finding your first HVAC
job.
Entering the Real World
Once you do have your diploma, its time to go out and face
the music. Which is what you could have
done rather than going to a school anyway.
I’m only saying that because the company that gave me my chance
literally taught me everything I knew before going out on my own as an HVAC
contractor. But if you choose the route
of getting hired on as an apprentice somewhere or if you graduate from school,
you have to go out and find those companies.
You have to take the step to go face to face with the companies you want
to work for. Whether you choose to face
them with a diploma in your hand or not is up to you.
Finding a Company
But there are definitely HVAC companies who will hire you
right now, with no experience. It just
depends on where they are in their demand for technicians at the time you’re
trying to get on with them. If they’re
not hiring, they’re not hiring and that has nothing to with you having a
diploma in your hand or wanting to earn your way on with an
apprenticeship. I have had to turn down
good people just because I didn’t have room on my team at the time.
Find some companies in your area that have a good
reputation. You can find them by looking
at their reviews online. Try these
companies first, because they are doing something right. They obviously take pride in their company’s
practices, so they very likely care about their employees.
My Road to Success
I wanted a real job. Being
an HVAC technician has been the avenue which has gotten me to where I am
today. A husband, father, homeowner, and
someone who can afford to go out and do the things I want to do with my free
time. I’m able to save money for my
retirement and take care of my medical needs with the insurance I’ve been
provided. It’s a long way from the previous
jobs I had which really didn’t offer these extras that a real job provides.
Summary
Hopefully this has helped you on your way to deciding
whether to go to a trade school or to try and go straight for an apprenticeship
with your local company.
Please leave your comments down below and tell us if you went to school or not. If you could, tell us how that went for you so those who are reading this can learn from your experiences. See you on the next post!
Don’t miss our video on this topic: