Entry Level Electrical and or HVAC/R jobs & how to get in with them

I am 31 yrs old and I graduated as an electrician last year and it was hard to find entry level work in the electrical field, so I took on some small jobs on my own and also worked for people who pulled electrical jobs while rehabing houses you know,just trying to get some experience. Well work got slow and I wasn't needed any more for jobs that were being pulled. So I started looking for other work and I came across a press machine operator job. It paid $13.45per.hr. weekly pay,12hr 3rd sifts from 7pm-7am 4 days on & 3 off. The work was easy, but the job was realy not my cup of tea because it was constently hot from the press machines and you were always itchy and breathing in fiberglass particles. So I stuck it out until something better for me came along, well with in the first two months of working I finaly get a call from my school saying they would love to have me come back and attend for an HVAC/R program they were starting up, so that's what I decided to do. I worked one more month with the company while in school and then put in my two-week notice. Now I am currently back in school at kaplan Career Institute for HVAC/R training. I'm a EPA UNIVERSAL CERTIFIED technician that badly wants the experience in the Electrician and or HVAC/R field. SO if there's anyone who think they could help me get that experience,or give me any advice it would be well considered.

While you're in school see if your school's Career Services Department can assist you in putting together and finding an internship/apprenticeship within the field. Experience is just as important as education, so build it any way you can. Contact your local HVAC companies and see if you can do 'job shadows' and tag along on jobs. All of these experience will allow you build your resume and network of people you know in the field who may assist you in finding employment in the future.

The Career Lady
askthecareerlady.blogspot.com/

Jerome Luster in Cleveland, Ohio said: I am 31 yrs old and I graduated as an electrician last year and it was hard to find entry level work in the electrical field, so I took on some small jobs on my own and also worked for people who pulled electrical jobs while rehabing houses you know,just trying to get some experience. Well work got slow and I wasn't needed any more for jobs that were being pulled. So I started looking for other work and I came across a press machine operator job. It paid $13.45per.hr. weekly pay,12hr 3rd sifts from 7pm-7am 4 days on & 3 off. The work was easy, but the job was realy not my cup of tea because it was constently hot from the press machines and you were always itchy and breathing in fiberglass particles. So I stuck it out until something better for me came along, well with in the first two months of working I finaly get a call from my school saying they would love to have me come back and attend for an HVAC/R program they were starting up, so that's what I decided to do. I worked one more month with the company while in school and then put in my two-week notice. Now I am currently back in school at kaplan Career Institute for HVAC/R training. I'm a EPA UNIVERSAL CERTIFIED technician that badly wants the experience in the Electrician and or HVAC/R field. SO if there's anyone who think they could help me get that experience,or give me any advice it would be well considered.

You might try the job search engine WWW.MEPJobs.com. Just go there and answer the questions and post your reume or a brief detailed explanation of yourk work and school history. Good luck to you.Im looking for work myself, I lost my job around labor day this year. I have three years hvac experience and three years of hvac schooling as well. The residential market is alittle slow during the last part of the year but useally picks up in the spring and companys start hiring more.Atleast thats the trend here in North Carolina,Charlotte metro area.

thanks alot for your input & the web site, it seems like that could be some help. please at anytime feel free to leave some other insite or advice and I'll do the same if I come across any info. Good luck to you as well.

AsktheCareerLady in Livermore, California said: While you're in school see if your school's Career Services Department can assist you in putting together and finding an internship/apprenticeship within the field. Experience is just as important as education, so build it any way you can. Contact your local HVAC companies and see if you can do 'job shadows' and tag along on jobs. All of these experience will allow you build your resume and network of people you know in the field who may assist you in finding employment in the future.

The Career Lady
askthecareerlady.blogspot.com/

Thank you Career Lady for the advice that was very helpfull please feel free to leave more advice.

Jerome Luster in Cleveland, Ohio said: thanks alot for your input & the web site, it seems like that could be some help. please at anytime feel free to leave some other insite or advice and I'll do the same if I come across any info. Good luck to you as well.

Hey, I ment to leave you another good search engine or website as well; that is WWW.HVACAgent.Com. I got my very first hvac job here. Also I would recomend applying here for entry level installer its alittle touph work sometimes but its easier to get on as an installer first then you move to service. and sice you have your EPA card that is a big plus. Check out the web sites and see what you think.

hi guys,

I am thinking about studying HVAC/R i would like to know which is the best school to give me knowledge, education and experience about this ???

I live in Orange, CA pls if any one has any information about good schools in that area or close to that area let me know... any help appreciated

Sami said: hi guys,

I am thinking about studying HVAC/R i would like to know which is the best school to give me knowledge, education and experience about this ???

I live in Orange, CA pls if any one has any information about good schools in that area or close to that area let me know... any help appreciated

Hi, you can go to www.HVACAgent.com and bfill out a profile there. You will also see a link to find about schooling as well.

I need to know how to get the certs needed to be a Hvac tech? How much does it cost??

How important is it to a owner/service mgr to the nate/rses certifications on a newly trained student when applying for a job. Do they really give an edge as to a student who doesn't have the designations?

Rob in Bellingham, Washington said: How important is it to a owner/service mgr to the nate/rses certifications on a newly trained student when applying for a job. Do they really give an edge as to a student who doesn't have the designations?

The Nate test was desighned to show professionalism. Nate recomends that you be in the field for two years before you take the test. There is a bank of 4000 questions per test and the test consist of 100 questions for each speciality, and the core is 50 questions you have 3 hours I think, to complete the test. All questions are multible choice. Having your Nate certification can give you an edge to potentional employers. They figure that if you can pass the nate exams then you would have extensive knowledge in the field. This can be a true statement. You can purchase the "Dewalt HVAC Technician Certification exam guide" which has practice questions to prep you for the exam. I can also show you your strengths and weaknesses.

Sami said: hi guys,

I am thinking about studying HVAC/R i would like to know which is the best school to give me knowledge, education and experience about this ???

I live in Orange, CA pls if any one has any information about good schools in that area or close to that area let me know... any help appreciated

I lived in Chino Hills, CA I am looking for the best school for studying HVAC/R. if any one has any detail information please pass for me. Thnaks a lot

Best I can tell you as a head hunter for the industry... get in with a company that hires or will agree to hire an apprentice. A lot of our guys are finding that apartment maintenance experience for a couple of years will afford them the opportunity to get that experience for a regular HVAC company & vise/versa. Best of luck guys as I KNOW how hard it is because I deal with it everyday. Slow season is between Dec. and Apr. in most cases but with the economy as it is & all the layoffs... they can hire journeymen at entry level wages! I was told that first hand! Sorry... it is what it is.

Start a business, it's easier than you think. The hell with working for somebody else. They'll pay you peanuts anyway...

hvac tech12 in Concord, North Carolina said: Hi, you can go to www.HVACAgent.com and bfill out a profile there. You will also see a link to find about schooling as well.

hey hvac tech 12 I am about to start school in cleveland to be a hvac tehnician,I was just down in charlotte over the weekend and once I finish school(9/4/09) my wife and I plan on moving to charlotte upon completion of schooling I should have my EPA CFC refrigerant,NIULPE class 5 boiler certification, how is the job market down there? i would like to keep in touch with you if at all possible

Hi Spencycle, Well in response to your posting, the job market here is still a little slow right now, a few companies here and there are hiring people with 5 years or more experience of actually in the field on the job experience here and there , but with 10,000 people in the state looking for work employers are very selective of who they hire it seems. Personally I have two years OTJ experience and over three years of schooling with several certifications and have been out of work since Sept 2008, and am looking dillengently everday. A boiler cert. would be a good advantage for you, some of the larger hospitals and other company'sare hiring maintenance techs.But those are not a wide variety, just a few here and there.Things useally slow down in the HVAC Field around Sept., Oct. and do not really pick back up until april or May. At least thats the trend that I have seen the time I have been in the field and talking with other techs.M y advice would be... gain as much knowledge as you can with the credentials to prove it to someone like a future potential employer that knows nothing about you. I cant say for a fact, that it would make a differance but it cant hurt and it would give you an edge over someone that does not. Good luck to you.I just dont know how things are going to be with the new president. He wants to tax the rich man more well the rich man did not get rich by being stupid or dumb, if they are going to have to pay more tax for making more profit then they will stop investng in their business and start shuting them down which means more jobs lost, So I really dont know. I just trust the Lord jesus Christ to supply my needs. I have failed him countless times over but He never fails and always meets my every need.

So I am thinking of going to a HVAC/R Associates Degree program and I also have 2 years of ONJ field experience. But it was so long ago that I dont remember much. I am hoping that going to school will bring it back. My question for you all is will HVAC employers appreciate and value the fact that I will have an Associates Degree in HVAC/R or will it be a waste of time?

Hi, I graduated from North Carolina State University with a B.S. in E.E. and I worked for Sony Ericsson as an RF Antenna engineer. I have about 1 years experience with their school co-op program. The company in north raleigh shut down completely and I all the RF jobs out there are looking for 5-10 years experience. I am looking for anything I can get Antenna related or RF/Satellite/Cellular antenna design.

Experience is all im looking for and is my primary ideal for compensation.

Hey, I've got some questions that I can't quite seem to be answered, so here I ask:

I'm eighteen, I have a GED (was home-schooled), and I'm interested in the HVAC field; however, I have no experience with heating & air, nor electricity. I've asked around at a few local HVAC companies if they took in green-horns (ie. I've got no experience in this field, but willing to start out at an entry-level position), but almost all of the companies I talked to said I had to have a bare min. of a year experience working with another HVAC company to get on there. Which leads me to my question: if I have to have experience in HVAC to get onto a job, where do I get that experience? I've signed up for the HVAC course at my local community college, but the classes were all filled this semester.

So yeah, basically, I'm pretty determined to get onto an HVAC job, but I'm not quite sure where to start. The only company that did hire guys' without experience was GTS, but unfortunately, they were all filled at the moment. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Michael D. in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas said: Hey, I've got some questions that I can't quite seem to be answered, so here I ask:

I'm eighteen, I have a GED (was home-schooled), and I'm interested in the HVAC field; however, I have no experience with heating & air, nor electricity. I've asked around at a few local HVAC companies if they took in green-horns (ie. I've got no experience in this field, but willing to start out at an entry-level position), but almost all of the companies I talked to said I had to have a bare min. of a year experience working with another HVAC company to get on there. Which leads me to my question: if I have to have experience in HVAC to get onto a job, where do I get that experience? I've signed up for the HVAC course at my local community college, but the classes were all filled this semester.

So yeah, basically, I'm pretty determined to get onto an HVAC job, but I'm not quite sure where to start. The only company that did hire guys' without experience was GTS, but unfortunately, they were all filled at the moment. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Is there a sears service in your area? Appliance repair will teach you electricity and mechanical skills also is there a chapter of associated builders and contractors they have apprenticeship programs for hvac and sheet metal. Refrigeration Service Engineers Society is a good place to meet people in the trade. Meetings are free if you have a local chapter. go to rses.org and look at the website. its a non profit educational organization. if you want to join its about 100 dollars a year. its not what you know its who you know. If there is a parts supplier in your area go see if they have a bulletn board listing jobs. go up to the parts counter where the repairmen buy their parts and ask questions about apprenticeships schools etc.

Chopstixxx in Madison, Wisconsin said: So I am thinking of going to a HVAC/R Associates Degree program and I also have 2 years of ONJ field experience. But it was so long ago that I dont remember much. I am hoping that going to school will bring it back. My question for you all is will HVAC employers appreciate and value the fact that I will have an Associates Degree in HVAC/R or will it be a waste of time?

Most Commercial Hvac companies value education. But can you turn the wrenches? Are you the kind of person who just has to know how it works? I did residential service for twentyseven years and have done commercial A/C and refrigeration for ten years, my suggestion would be( if you are a real smart guy ) Join Refrigeration Service Engineers Society Download the Service Application Manual Study this and take the Certificate Member test .This certification is equivalent to a two year degree. Go to the website Rses.org Its about 100 dollars a year to join. If you have a local chapter meetings are free. The guys that belong to this are all volunteers. They are all in the business. Go to a meeting and check it out .

Hi,
I have done MS in Mechanical engineer, EIT and LEED certificate and I am looking for job in Sacramento/SF CA area.
Thanks

Hey I'm currently attending Wyotech trade school for HVAC-R I have 2 months left in the program left. ultimately i want to go into commercial work but am not going to go through with the my school's commercial program to get the training. I'm looking for a company that maybe i could start out doing residential then move into commercial and they would help me with that. Ive been hearing of apprenticeship programs and such and different companies but I really just dont know where to start. I have been getting straight A's for 7months straight and am EPA universally certified. can anyone help me out??

thanks

Hey Jerome Im in the same boat. I recently graduated from the American Air Conditioing Academy on Broadway in Maple Heights. I went through the workforce investment program to get funding for school and I was told recently they suspended the program because people were not getting jobs. I have been on a few interviews but they all say we are looking for someone with experience. How can i get experience if nobody is willing to give me a chance?

Hey! my name is Allan Jean-Joseph, I'm a male 44 Years old and I've been working as an electrician first class for nine (9) years, I also went to school to become an HVAC TECH and I graduated, I received a certificate of complition, EPA 608 License Universal and OSHA Safety last year 2009. My point to this is; I'm looking for HVAC entry level job openning. I do not earn any degree in college, I just simply carry a GED diploma and I'm willing to learn out there on the field, all I need is a shot to a company and I also willing to travel for the company anywhere in the US or out the US.

Is Allan Jean-Joseph's story common? Electricians are becoming HVAC techs because there are more jobs and better pay in HVAC?

Also, are there any other trades which have a projected high growth rate in the coming years?

For any HVAC techs visiting this page: What percentage of time in your day-to-day work do you spend setting up a system of ducts?

I am 35 yrs. old. I am thinking of going to learn Hvac and get certified at a local college .I have been searching alot of job postings and virtualy all the jobs requie work exp. in the field , alot of them a min. of 5 yrs.So I am getting discouraged from laying out 17,000$ in tuition and spend 9 months learning the trade.Thats alot of time and money with not alot of promising opportunitys for enrly level workers.

Kevin in Jacksonville, Florida said: I am 35 yrs. old. I am thinking of going to learn Hvac and get certified at a local college .I have been searching alot of job postings and virtualy all the jobs requie work exp. in the field , alot of them a min. of 5 yrs.So I am getting discouraged from laying out 17,000$ in tuition and spend 9 months learning the trade.Thats alot of time and money with not alot of promising opportunitys for enrly level workers.

Hey Kevin I would still go for it if you need to learn a trade it is a good one. How many Hvac technicians do you think there are that have over 5 years of experience to help the maybe 10-15 AC/Heating companies in your area that are asking for that experience to begin with? The answer is very few Now these companies are hoping to service the maybe 100,000 people with AC/refridgerator problems. Well you do the math. With an EPA or better yet Nate certification you should be able to get your foot in the door. There is no long line of Nate/EPA certified guys waiting and blocking you from getting there.

Thank you for your advice

hvac tech12 in Concord, North Carolina said: First you need to get your EPA CERTIFICATION I cant remember what the fee was but I think it was $100.00 to take the exam.
If you wish to get your NATE CERT. IT IS $95.00 for each test you have to pass the core and one specialty ie.. Gas Heat, Heat pumps, oil heating, etc you can go to www.NATEtesting.com for more info. You can go to www.rses.org for a good reference of study material.

To get NATE certs you have to have experience in the industry to be able to pass the tests also if you go online you can now take these tests thru a clearing house for testing.

The school I looked at is 17,000 in tuition for a 9 month program.is this a good price ? I will have to take out a student loan,I am 35 yrs old and I have one felony on my record in another state ,Im concerned if I finish I may not get cosideration because of my criminal record,or lack of on the job experience.I heard companys are only willing to hire applicants with 2 years exp. Can anyone offer some advice?

HVACTECH12 in Concord, North Carolina said: Hey, I ment to leave you another good search engine or website as well; that is WWW.HVACAgent.Com . I got my very first hvac job here. Also I would recomend applying here for entry level installer its alittle touph work sometimes but its easier to get on as an installer first then you move to service. and sice you have your EPA card that is a big plus. Check out the web sites and see what you think.

HVAC agent does little to no good as it does not read your resume it just posts it online with everybody else.

I cannot speak for everyone. However, I have gotten a coupl,e of jobs through them and have had several employers call me recently wanting to speak with me. The job I have now is a result of hvac agent. But everyone has to do what is right for them. Things may be differant from state to state. One thing for sure though, the more your resume is out there the broader your chances. Meaning the more job posting boards you post it on the broader your chances of getting a call. ALSO, if I really wanted to get in the field then I would go to every company within 25 miles of where I lived.

Im a small residential compay in Littleton, Co. Looking to hire ALL positions, let me know what your experience is?

I'm getting start hvac train on the Nov 1. It's a rapid 4 week course, is this a good thing? It's with AIT CAREER TAINING CENTER.

In my opinion, it depends on what field your going in to? First of all there's a big difference in commercial & residential. Which do you plan on doing? There is boilers, steam & hydronics, radiant infloor stuff also. All depends on what you plan on specializing in! My family was taught old school, our mechanics (8 brothers) had to learn everything! They started out behind a broom and worked their way up the HVAC ladder! School is not always mandatory, some companies just prefer a person eager to learn the trade, they are sometimes better learners!

hvac tech12 in Concord, North Carolina said: Hi, you can go to www.HVACAgent.com and bfill out a profile there. You will also see a link to find about schooling as well.

I just graduated from Gateway Community and Technical College. I made the national honor society and all I got was a pat on the back and a kick in the ass. I can't find a job anywhere. It sucks out there.

I am sorry to hear that! I will give you my opinion as far as my experience of 32 years in all aspects of the business end of it. We did'nt always hire the guy that knew everything! We took into consideration training to our own standards. My family like to find a mind that was mechanical and let him experience every area of the business, we thought it was important for that person not only to have mechanical skills in all phases of the indusrty but also have public relation and sales skills. Really, lets face it, all your really doing is selling yourself and your workmenship should speak for itself.
My advice, make sure that your multi talented, ready to learn and can exacute several different kinds of tasks, it will make you a much more valuable employee. Forget about the book learned behavior until you have a lot of hands on! Thats the only way to learn in this business, HANDS ON! Let them know you are eager to get your hand in there and learn.

Fck working for somebody else. This business is easy if you got the brains and ideas. Electrical and mechanically inclined is the main thing you need to know as most of the problems are that. The sealed system, you don't need to touch to make money.

Mario in Medesto, Do you have your own business? I am 4th generation in this line of work here in Colorado! The most important thing to me is impecible customer servic and flawless workmenship. It takes both to be sucessful, but it sounds like you got it figured out, do you handle your customers that way?

Yes I do own my own business. I got tired of trying to look for work so I started my own business. Customer service is key but don't let cheap customers dictate the service charge.

im looking into getting an associates degree in hvac is it worth it? and how long will that take compared to just a certification or diploma? which is better?

sunny in Milpitas, California said: im looking into getting an associates degree in hvac is it worth it? and how long will that take compared to just a certification or diploma? which is better?

I have finished up my associates degree a few months ago. I can't find a job anywhere. I listened to all the hype and it wasn't worth it. You have to really jump through hoops and must know people in the business. Take a job in the medical field. They always have work.

you got an associates in hvac? does it take about the same amount of time as the certification? ........im almost done with my GE at a community college what should i do now? any suggestion? i dont realy like the medical field its too much science nd math involved..

HVACTECH12 in Concord, North Carolina said: You might try the job search engine WWW.MEPJobs.com . Just go there and answer the questions and post your reume or a brief detailed explanation of yourk work and school history. Good luck to you.Im looking for work myself, I lost my job around labor day this year. I have three years hvac experience and three years of hvac schooling as well. The residential market is alittle slow during the last part of the year but useally picks up in the spring and companys start hiring more.Atleast thats the trend here in North Carolina,Charlotte metro area.

Hi, Im moving to the Charlotte area early next year after I finish an HVAC class in Florida. What is the entry level salary in Charlotte for HVAC tech. and is there steady work year round in this city.

Im in the same boat as some of you. I got my HVAC Service Technician certification back in 2008. The problem I face is experience. I have worked in customer service my whole working career but I'm only 27 and able to do the work. I did about 3 months for a local company. Problem was I went to school for residential and the techs they had me riding with did work on everything but. One day I would ride along for work on an ice machine, the next job a fryer, then a cooler, etc. I was happy for the variety but it was hard to pick up on any one thing. Eventually they let me go saying I wasnt doing well enough although I dont think they had a structred training environment. I kinda want to get back into the trade but when I get discouraged looking at my resume. I have the paperwork but no experience. Any ideas on what to do?

To confued in Wilmington, NC,
You are only 27 which is young and you are just starting out. Hang in their and eventually your job will come. You could be like alot of us 40 somethings with yrs of experience and out of work and having to worry about how to pay your bills. I am guessing you still live at home, which is not a bad thing.

I am 56 years old and out of work. I got my degree in HVAC but, it has taken me no where at all. You can't work for yourself without a license. You are really stuck. I wish I had tried to do something else. Not that it would be any better

Replying in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania said: To confued in Wilmington, NC,
You are only 27 which is young and you are just starting out. Hang in their and eventually your job will come. You could be like alot of us 40 somethings with yrs of experience and out of work and having to worry about how to pay your bills. I am guessing you still live at home, which is not a bad thing.

Yes I am. Im not totally certain HVAC is want I want to do career-wise but I defintetly want to learn it. I would like to be able to do it on the side if nothing else other than PMs maybe some light troubleshooting but of course I need experience. I dont know if I should maybe work a year or so for a company or just take some brief refresher courses.

Calray in Latonia, Kentucky said: I am 56 years old and out of work. I got my degree in HVAC but, it has taken me no where at all. You can't work for yourself without a license. You are really stuck. I wish I had tried to do something else. Not that it would be any better

Hi Calray, just noticed your post ,thought I would reply, I am 52 years old myself I worked for hvac companies for 7 years, got laid off in oct 2009 rehired with a new company in march 2010 been there ever since. I am NATE CERT. As well as tech school. certs. and diploma could get my 2 year degree but needed three classes, ran out of $ now I am working and enjoy my job. I still work on hvac systems at work and on the side WE install and check the load controll devices on hvac systems no crawl spaces hardly at all or none at all if I choose not to go in them. Absolutely no attics. all work is outside. check out www.goodcents.com. we have a branch in Kentucky HVAC EXP. IS A PLUS.