Thinking about joining the HVAC and Refrigeration industry as a maintenance and repair technician? If you’ve been following our blog, you already know about the rewards and the opportunities available to you through HVACR technician careers. But what’s the best way to get started and how can you get the training you need?
Unlike most other careers, there are multiple paths to getting qualified as a service technician for HVAC & Refrigeration systems. And it’s important to know you’re never done with training in HVACR technical careers. Technology is constantly changing and there’s always something new to learn.
In this article, we’ll explain the various training opportunities available to you.
4 ways to get trained for HVAC & Refrigeration technician careers
Keep in mind that you probably won’t be choosing just one of these options. In fact, you might end up doing all of them!
1. Technical school or college
Many people assume that technical school is a requirement for getting started in HVACR technician careers. That’s definitely NOT the case. You can get hired for entry-level helper positions with no schooling or experience.
However it can be a good way to start, IF you’re in a position to pay the tuition and can manage without an income while you’re in school. You’ll learn the basics, get to try hands-on diagnostic and repair tasks, and find out if you enjoy the work and have an aptitude for it. And, when you go to apply for your first job, you might have some advantage because employers can see you are committed to this career choice.
That said, keep in mind that technical school (or even college) won’t teach you everything you need to know. No school can have all the types of equipment you’ll need to work on in the real world. Plus, employers will want to teach you how to do things their way. When you get hired for your first job, you’ll still start as a first-year apprentice or helper (just like others who get hired with no schooling).
2. Union apprenticeship program for HVACR technical careers
Here in the NYC metro area, UA Local 638 provides a contractor-sponsored 3 year HVAC technician training program, plus a new New York State approved 4 year HVAC technician apprenticeship training program. The best part is, you get to work and earn money while you’re getting trained.
Contractor-sponsored means your employer enrolls you in the training program and pays for it. However, not every employer chooses to send their technicians to the union program. And, there is sometimes more demand than available seats in the training class. In that case, applicants complete a short exam covering basic math and reading skills to select the participants for that year.
The training program has two terms per year, each term running for 13 weeks. For the first two years of training, participants attend classes one day per week, while also working for their employer as a helper or junior technician for the remainder of the week. At the end of the term, participants complete final exams, and their grades and attendance records are reported to the employer. After 2 years, participants work full time for their employer, and attend classes in the evening on their own time.
Learn more: HVAC Apprenticeship Program Grad Discusses the Experience
3. HVAC & Refrigeration employer training
Most HVAC and Refrigeration service companies have their own training programs. You can get hired with no experience as a first-year helper and start learning on the job.
However, there are no standards for employer training programs so it pays to do your homework before applying for jobs, and find out what each company’s training consists of (especially if you have no experience). Because you’ll be building your skills through your employer’s training, you want to make sure you’ll have the best opportunities to learn and advance your career.
These are just some of the components you’ll find in the best employer training programs for technicians. Be sure to ask about them when you interview for a helper position.
On-job-training and mentoring. This is the most common way that service companies train technicians. Newer technicians (typically within the first three years) are paired with more experienced technicians who teach them how to diagnose problems and perform repairs as they complete service calls each day.
Employers will have various ways of assessing what you learn as you help other technicians in the field. Mentors might report on your progress to supervisors or managers. You might be given assessment tests periodically. One employer in our area has a unique way of keeping up with what new techs are learning in the field. The company outfits all techs with wearable cameras that they use to document their work for customers. Helpers also use these cameras at the end of each service call to make a short video describing what they learned.
Internal communications and content. Some service companies keep a technical content library that’s always available to technicians for researching problems or just keeping up with what’s new. Others send out regular email bulletins or newsletters to technicians with helpful tips and reminders.
You should also expect to get documentation from your employer about what skills you are expected to master at each stage of your training. That’s important so there are no surprises.
Classroom training. Larger service organizations may offer classroom training to new technicians in the first few years, and sometimes classes for all technicians on new technology. Depending on the resources your company has, you may learn about theory or have the chance to try hands-on work. You may also receive training this way about company policies and procedures.
Classes are typically offered during the fall and winter months, which are slower times of year for most air conditioning and refrigeration service companies. Classes might be followed by an assessment to measure how much you learned.
Manufacturer workshops. Equipment manufacturers also provide training classes for technicians who work on the equipment they sell. Your company may send you to training classes at the manufacturer’s facilities, or sometimes manufacturers might send a rep to your office to teach a class for a larger service provider.
Online training platforms. This is the ultimate in employer training for technicians, and has grown in popularity because of some of the limitations of classroom training.
Online training catalogs from companies like Interplay Learning provide a wealth of courses and information for technicians at every level. Employers can design training programs that are customized to the skill level of each individual technician, so nobody has to waste time on what they already know. Technicians can repeat lessons as often as needed to refresh their knowledge. The company can see exactly what each technician is qualified to do and make job assignments accordingly.
4. Learning on your own
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, people who choose HVACR technician careers must enjoy learning because you’ll be doing it until you retire. As you progress in your career, your employer needs and expects you to improve your skills and keep your knowledge current. At times, you may need to do some of that on your own.
Here are lots of resources available to HVAC & Refrigeration technicians to learn more, including educational websites (like this one!), podcasts, and membership in professional associations.
Here are a few resources to get you started:
- Training articles and videos from HVACR Career Connect NY
Thanks to Vinny Eckerson, Vice President of Operation at Arista Air Conditioning, for providing information for this article.
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.
Learn about technical careers in the HVAC & Refrigeration industry, how to get hired and tips to build your career.