HVAC Professional Careers: How to Prepare Now

If you’re a high school or college student considering a career as an HVAC professional, you may be wondering what you can do now to increase your chances of landing an entry level job as a service technician when you finish school. 

Here’s some advice that will not only help you get started as an HVAC professional, but also prepare you to build a successful career as a service technician.

8 tips to help you become an HVAC professional

1. Demonstrate a desire to learn

Working as an HVAC professional service tech requires ongoing learning to keep up with new technology, new tools and techniques, and keep skills current. That’s why employers want to hire smart people who like to learn new things.

You might think your grades or test scores aren’t important if you plan to work in the trades. That’s a shortsighted view if you want to become an HVAC technician. Being able to show success in school demonstrates your intelligence and desire to learn, which are important skills in this industry.

2. Hone your technical skills

HVAC is a technology industry. In the past, when HVAC work was done almost exclusively with manual tools, having computer skills wasn’t necessary. That’s no longer the case. Technicians need to use technical tools for diagnosis and repair, and understand computer-controlled building systems.

If you have the chance to take computer programming or robotics courses in school, that’s a great way to build technical skills and demonstrate technical aptitude to employers.

3. Be dependable and responsible

HVAC employers (and their customers) need workers they can count on. No matter how smart or knowledgeable, a service technician who can’t be relied upon to show up on time, or otherwise meet expectations, is not a valuable employee. 

Now is the time to start working on being consistently reliable (and gaining evidence to prove it to future employers). Start with your school performance: don’t skip class, be on time, and always do your homework.

You can also demonstrate your dependability with a part time job: be the person your employer can count on. The same goes for family and friends. When you make a promise or say you’ll do something, be sure to keep that promise.

4. Get customer service experience

If at all possible, consider getting a part time job where you’ll be serving people and interacting with them. That may seem like strange advice. How does working in a supermarket help you prepare for a career as an HVAC technician?

HVAC professionals spend a good deal of time and energy working closely with customers. It’s important to understand that your customers are your company’s lifeblood. Without them, you have no job. Getting experience with how to treat customers and make them happy is very valuable and will serve you well in your future career as a technician.

Learn more: 

Customer Communication Tips for the HVAC Technician

5. Practice solving problems

Another important skill that an HVAC technician needs is problem-solving ability. When equipment breaks down or otherwise is not working properly, a technician needs to be able to observe the symptoms and the conditions, correctly diagnose the cause of the problem, and implement a successful solution.

Problem solving is a skill you can practice every day. It’s not just about fixing things, although that’s great practice as well. You use problem solving in math and science classes. You can use it in your part time job. You can use it to handle any number of problems you encounter in daily life.

Here’s an article that can help you learn how to approach problems:

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills for Tech Repair

6. Get comfortable using hand tools

While HVAC repair is increasingly technical, you’re also going to need to learn to use hand tools to work as a service technician. If possible, find a mentor who can teach you how to use basic tools like a drill. 

You can even start to collect the tools you’ll need to work in HVAC service. Here’s a helpful list of essential tools:

HVAC Technician Tool List: Must-Have Tools for Service

7. Keep your driving record clean

This is a must, and something most prospective HVAC professionals don’t think about. In most cases, your employer will need you to drive a company van or truck to service appointments. If you have a poor driving record, it’s unlikely that they will hire someone who may become an insurance liability. 

Drive safely and keep your record clean! Here’s an article that can help:  

Driving in NYC: Safe Driving Practices & Tips

8. Learn about the HVAC & Refrigeration industry

While you can get an entry-level position as an HVAC professional without college or technical school, you’ll be a better job candidate if you can demonstrate knowledge about the industry. Start reading and consuming content online to build your knowledge now.

Here’s an article that shares some helpful podcasts for service technicians:

Best HVAC Podcasts for Service Technicians

Future HVAC professionals: build your knowledge here

We invite you to learn information about the HVAC & Refrigeration industry and get job hunting tips here on HVACRCareerConnectNY.com!

Get started by taking our quiz to see if you are well suited to a career in HVAC & Refrigeration service. Then sign up below to get helpful content right in your email inbox.

HVACR Career Connect NY was created to promote the exceptional quality-of-life benefits of a career in HVAC and Refrigeration service, and also to provide a clear path for getting started in the profession. In doing so, we serve as a resource for employers in the New York City metro area to find and hire smart and capable new technicians. We also serve as an educational resource to support business growth and to help service technicians succeed in their chosen profession.