Like most people you probably want to have a strong career with solid opportunities for advancement. Ideally one that that provides a good pay scale when compared with other professions. Currently the HVAC and HVACR field is experiencing an industry skills shortage.
According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) the HVAC industry will add 14% more jobs during the next decade, double the 7% national average for other professions. This means that the industry will add 39,600 jobs during the next ten years. Increased demand for staff should ensure that jobs in the industry remain secure for the foreseeable future.
As industry needs to find more staff quickly many firms are offering job site training. More offer apprenticeship opportunities which lead on to higher paid roles once you have passed certification exams. With this low barrier to entry it is easier than ever to switch to an HVAC or HVACR role.
Once in the industry you can choose to branching out in other directions as the number of different types of role are expanding in the field. With the increase of tighter integration with existing heating and ventilation technology as well as the new developments in green energy you can branch out into profitable niches in the industry.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Commission (EIA) air conditioning is currently installed in 100 million U.S. homes. With such a large installed base even in the event of an economic downturn there will still be demand for maintenance and upgrades. As the BLS estimate there are currently 292,000 HVAC jobs in the U.S if each residential customer required just one maintenance visit per year each currently employed HVAC worker would have to make one visit a day even on weekends and holidays. This figure is just for residential customers and does not include industrial, retail or vehicle installs. Manufacturers are constantly producing ever more efficient equipment to comply with environmental regulations. They are also integrating their products with new green energy technology as well as existing systems such as condensing boilers. With demand for more efficient green installations that have lower running costs training in these threshold areas will increase your value to the customer and industry.
With such a high demand for staff very clearly qualified staff are going to be on top of recruiters lists. Simply put the more skills a person is trained in the more valuable and in demand they will be. Our training page will give you an idea of what is involved in getting certified for both the national EPA certifications as well as any local state ones in your area. You can also look at some of the books on the book page, which also has some free books. The free materials will give you a better idea of what is involved in getting certified.