Air Conditioning and Heating Technician Training & Career Path

There is a general path most technicians take at the beginning of their career, but once you have experience, many doors open up for you.

Getting Started in High School

If you’re entering or are in high school now, there are technical programs or technical schools that train in HVACR. Take the time to explore the opportunities, visit the technical school and talk with instructors about the profession. Also, speak with your guidance counselor about the career and which classes to take in high school, such as math and science, to help get you started.

You can begin by printing out this handy reference sheet for you and your guidance counselor to discuss.

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Getting Started After High School

While attending a technical or trade school is one option, another way to enter the field for those out of high school is to start as an apprentice with a mechanical service contractor. Many contractors will hire inexperienced technicians who like to work with their hands, are enthusiastic, eager to learn, responsible and motivated, and provide them with jobs and training, while evaluating their skills and potential in the field.

5 STAR Training

Technicians who show a talent for the work can be placed in the 5 STAR Training program created by the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (the UA).

New technicians that enter the UA’s 5 STAR apprenticeship training program embark on an extensive learning and working experience. Training is provided at local UA Training Centers that are part of a nationwide network of state-of-the-art facilities with highly qualified instructors. Those entering the program with some background or training can qualify for advanced placement and accelerate the completion of their training.

Learning While Earning

During the 5 STAR Service Training program, apprentices learn the core skills of the HVACR trade along with basic mathematics and customer service skills that make a well-rounded professional. 5 STAR Service Training is a unique blend of on-the-job training (apprentice technicians learn skills directly from experienced journeymen) and classroom training. Typically, this means 1,700 to 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and 216 hours of classroom instruction each year of the five-year program.

Sounds challenging, right? It is, but it’s also very rewarding because at the end of the five years, your skills will be in high demand, and all the while you’re earning a paycheck while going to school at no cost to you.

UA STAR Certification

After the five-year training program, you’ll be ready to become a UA STAR certified technician - one of the industry’s highest individual achievements.

And by attaining your UA STAR certification, you’ll receive 32 college credits towards an Associate’s degree (valued at over $2,500). Plus, you can take additional credits at a local community college or thru UA’s College on Demand program that can result in a degree in HVACR Technology.

Even if the training program isn’t right for you, HVACR contractors are always in need of skilled workers to fill other important roles in their companies.

Find a Local Accredited Technical School

HVAC Excellence is a nonprofit organization that focuses on the education and training of the current and future HVAC workforce. To find a list of technical schools accredited by HVAC Excellence, click here

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