HVACR CAREER INFORMATION

If you’re looking for a role where you can advance your duties and skill set, where you get to work with your hands every day, and where you’re able to solve complex problems, an HVAC career might be for you. HVAC stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Often, refrigeration gets included, too. HVACR technicians work on installing, repairing and maintaining these systems.

Each day as an HVACR technician can bring new challenges and accomplishments. Learn what an HVACR career is like to see if it’s something you might be interested in.

What Does a Career in HVAC Look Like?

Entry-level HVACR technicians typically get postsecondary training or obtain an apprenticeship to learn the skills needed to succeed on the job. When they start their careers, HVACR techs may work on installing, repairing and maintaining heating, air-conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation systems. They might specialize in one area, like commercial refrigeration, or go out to a variety of homes and businesses each day to work on all types of systems.

HVACR technicians may also specialize in areas like solar panels, testing and balancing, radiant heating systems and other areas. As they gain experience in the field, some HVACR technicians move up the ladder into management or leadership positions. Others pursue other types of work in the industry, like HVACR engineering. Some HVACR technicians open up their own businesses as entrepreneurs.

With a foundation in HVACR training, you can pursue entry-level roles and prepare to test for HVACR certification that can help you advance your career. From owning your own business to managing projects and teams of HVACR technicians, there are a variety of career pathways you can pursue in the HVACR industry.¹

Skills You Need to Pursue a Successful HVAC Career

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most HVACR employers prefer hiring technicians who have some sort of training, whether it’s through HVACR school or through an apprenticeship. That’s because HVACR systems are constantly evolving, so learning in a safe and supervised environment gets new HVACR technicians up to speed on the technology.

Some of the hard and soft skills an HVACR technician may need to be successful include:

• Knowledge of schematics use and interpretation, piping and fitting, air handling and hydronics, AC and DC circuits and components, sheet metal ductwork, vent system selection and installation, and mechanical and electronic controls troubleshooting
• Customer service skills, since technicians need to communicate issues to clients and update them on repairs
• Record-keeping skills, as HVACR technicians must keep detailed records of their work
• Physical strength and stamina, since HVACR technicians are frequently moving and may need to support and lift heavy equipment
• Problem-solving skills, as HVACR technicians must troubleshoot systems to identify causes of malfunctioning

A passion for working with your hands and for finding solutions to challenges can also benefit you as an HVACR technician.

HVACR Certified Technician Program

For many HVACR technicians, obtaining certification to work with certain types of materials is a legal requirement. It is also a way for you to optimize your resume, showing you earned credentials that can help you stand out when you enter the job market.

When you take our HVACR Technician training program, you’ll be prepared to test for the following certifications and exams:

• Section EPA 608 Technician Certification: This important certification validates that technicians are equipped to service, maintain or dispose of equipment that may release refrigerants into the air.
• R-410A Certification: This demonstrates you have received additional training in the handling, servicing and recovery of R-410A equipment.
• OSHA 10-Hour Construction Training: This covers construction safety and competency. Students learn how to recognize, avoid, abate and prevent common safety hazards on constructions sites.
• NATE (North American Technician Excellence): NATE core exams evaluate a technician’s general knowledge as well as HVACR specific knowledge in a range of categories, including safety, taking measurements and basic electrical.

Technicians seeking NATE certification take two exams: the Core exam and a Specialty exam. UTI offers preparation and testing for the Core exam only. Passing the Core exam enables technicians to take the Specialty exam through their employer.

You can develop HVACR hard and soft skills in less than a year through course topics such as basic electricity and motors, refrigeration fundamentals, heating systems, commercial refrigeration and indoor air fundamentals.