Why Pursue An HVAC Apprenticeship?

HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning, and the term can be used to refer to any of three things— the equipment used for these functions, the room in which such equipment is stored, or the technicians who perform services and repairs on them.  In this article, which deals with the apprenticeship and certification programs in the field, it will be used primarily in the third sense.Why do an HVAC apprenticeship?

Because HVAC is so important to the design of skyscrapers and other edifices, a career in the field can be not only a high- paying one, but also a career in which a wide variety of skills can be put to use; and the best way to get into it is through apprenticeship and on the job training (OJT), though a certain amount of classroom time is required as well.  Like all apprenticeship programs in the United States, those in HVAC are covered by the National Apprenticeship Act, which the Department of Labor has the task of overseeing.

HVAC Apprenticeship Programs

In a typical apprenticeship program in HVAC, the student works with his trainers during the day, and studies in the evening.  Classroom study is essential because the HVAC technician must be good at math and be able to master the physical principles that underlie the mechanisms of the machines he will be working with.

Courses include those in industrial math, hydrology, chemistry, and electricity.  The OJT part of the program includes working for pay, though less than that of a certified HVAC employee, for a total of at least two thousand hours.  Some employers sponsor apprenticeships that consist exclusively of OJT.

One of the best HVAC apprenticeship programs is that offered by the ACT (Allied Career Training), Inc. HVAC school— a nationally accredited, “fast track” program designed for those who best learn the hands on way.  The two current instructors there have had forty years’ experience helping people train for these kinds of jobs.  And for those candidates who qualify, prepaid tuition is available.  Penn Foster Career School, on the other hand, gives courses that the student can take from his own place of residence— and by taking it, become eligible for the Snap- On Student Excellence, which includes discounts on certain tools.

All of these programs lead to an HVAC certification and from there, to a career in which there is rarely a shortage of work.