It feels good to be a hero. That’s one reason why jobs for essential workers are such rewarding careers. If you want a career that offers job security and the satisfaction that comes with doing critical work, and even being considered a hero, HVACR service may be the right choice for you.
What are essential workers?
Essential workers provide important services that are needed to keep critical infrastructure operations intact. Some examples of essential workers include law enforcement, utilities, transportation, communications, and IT workers.
HVACR technicians are essential workers
During the pandemic lockdowns, HVAC & Refrigeration technicians were designated as essential workers. At that time, HVAC technicians needed to keep medical facilities and other critical operations heated and cooled, and Refrigeration technicians needed to support food service operations. These services are still essential today, and always will be. Here’s why HVACR careers are so secure:
- People need heat and AC in their homes. No matter what’s happening in the world and what economic conditions are like, people will always need heat, air conditioning, and refrigeration in their living spaces. It’s just not something people can do without for any length of time.
- Businesses need heat and AC to operate. Commercial HVAC & Refrigeration services may be even more necessary. Just about every type of business requires effective heating and cooling to operate. Some, like certain manufacturing and medical facilities, are even required to maintain specific air quality conditions.
- Refrigeration is required for many essential industries. All food services, including restaurants, food markets, and food distribution would grind to a halt without effective refrigeration. Pharmaceutical and other critical industries also rely on refrigeration to produce and maintain their products.
HVACR technicians were heroes during the pandemic
During the pandemic, especially early on when PPE was so difficult to get, HVAC technicians literally risked their lives to perform essential services. They kept critical infrastructure, medical facilities, and food services operating. Here are just a few examples.
- Refrigeration for food service and distribution. Technicians serviced, installed and repaired equipment for supermarkets, restaurants, and food transportation operations.
- HVAC for medical facilities. Hospitals treating sick patients must have heat, air conditioning, and specialized ventilation equipment to prevent airborne transmission of disease. HVAC technicians risked their own safety to go into these facilities to service, install and repair equipment.
- Support for manufacturing and utility services. HVAC is needed at critical utility and manufacturing plants to keep them operating. HVAC technicians continued to keep their HVAC systems up and running.
- HVAC for millions in lockdown. During the lockdown period, millions of people were unable to leave their homes. If their HVAC systems broke down, especially for sick people, the situation could be life threatening. HVAC technicians helped keep homes heated and cooled.
The benefits to society from continued essential HVACR services during the pandemic lockdowns were great. But the technicians themselves also benefited from being designated as essential workers: many were able to keep working and supporting their families.
Even beyond the pandemic, HVACR workers are heroes every day. They help us all lead healthier, more comfortable, and more productive lives.
Are you cut out to be an HVACR technician? Take our quiz
Are you ready to become an essential worker and a hero? Take our short self assessment quiz to find out if you’re well suited to a career as an HVAC & Refrigeration technician.
Also, sign up below to get our monthly newsletter with tips and information to help you get started and be successful in our industry.
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.
