Getting into an hvac union

I have a hvac certification, EPA , and a 410a Liceince is an Hvac union worth getting into. If so how easy is it to get in.

Phanique Dupree in Neptune, New Jersey said: I have a hvac certification, EPA , and a 410a Liceince is an Hvac union worth getting into. If so how easy is it to get in.

in my opinion, in right to work states, a union does very little for you unless you are working for a company that can only hire union employees. in some northern states, you must be part of a union to be employed in this and other trades. also in most northern states, the cost of living is higher which is way you see such a difference in the pay scale. i became part of a local union to be able to go to work with my current employer and from my experience, unions will help protect you and your job at times, but i have seen little change in pay vs. my previous nonunion jobs.

The best thing I think you can do is to go to the local pipfitter union in your area or you can go to the local sheet metal workers union in your area. You can go online and google the unions in your area. I 'm in the same boat with you man. Just keep trying and don't give up because something will come through for you. Good Luck!

314 Pipe welder in St. louis, Missouri said: The best thing I think you can do is to go to the local pipfitter union in your area or you can go to the local sheet metal workers union in your area. You can go online and google the unions in your area. I 'm in the same boat with you man. Just keep trying and don't give up because something will come through for you. Good Luck!

Thanks man

where are some local unions in richmond'va for hvac?

DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE UNION FOR HVAC IN MD

Hey Brian I did a quick search and found there's a Local486 in Maryland hope it helps man

Here is the Local 486 website hope this works for you ?

486 Home <www.ualocal486.com/index.htm>
contact us at info@UALocal486.com

sorry you mite have to copy and paste the site for www.ualocal486.com/

hey thanks man.Do you have any more info you can share about workin for the union

I was told the best thing I think you can do is to go to the local pipfitter union in your area or you can go to the local sheet metal workers union in your area.

I was told that's how you start out in the union I can't get in yet till i can get my GED finished I have everything else but that.

so find a local union around you on Google search and email them on what u need to have to get in take care & hope the best

Kurt

brian in Greenbelt, Maryland said: hey thanks man.Do you have any more info you can share about workin for the union

I was told the best thing I think you can do is to go to the local pipfitter union in your area or you can go to the local sheet metal workers union in your area.

I was told that's how you start out in the union I can't get in yet till i can get my GED finished I have everything else but that.

so find a local union around you on Google search and email them on what u need to have to get in take care & hope the best

Kurt

thanks

FutRHVACr in Schenectady, New York said: I'm about to get into the field in upstate New York. If you get in to the apprenticeship program with one of the UA Locals, you're wages are guaranteed. Per the last contract negotions wages are as follows:

1st Year Apprentice: $12.56/hr
2nd Year Apprentice: $15.71/hr
3rd Year Apprentice: $18.85/hr
4th Year Apprentice: $21.99/hr
5th Year Apprentice: $26.70/hr
Journeyman: $31.41/hr

well, i am in orlando, fl and the wages are lower. journeyman are at $22 and change. just curious though, while you have a higher wage scale, how many guys are on the bench? it's kind of scary around here as far as lack of work.....

well i havent gotten started I am tring to get into the field but there is definitaly a lck of work now.Which is makng thing dificult to get started

help, i finished school and i am trying to get started into the field.(with no luck) where or who can i turn to for help?

listen every body just keep putting your resume out there me i have a job at sears fresh out of hvac school only thing there isnt much techs out here so good luck

can someone help me find the local hvac union thats located in dc/va i've tried searching for it through google but just couldnt find anything?

thnak you

it almost sounds to me as though alot of these trade schools are flooding the market with hvac techs, but there is not an actual need for said techs? i myself have been doing alot of searching for local jobs in ma but don't seem to be finding any listings,or the few i have seen require min 2yrs exp. curious.

In Mass the rate for union pipefitters, which an HVAC tech would be in, is 44.50$ an hour along with a truck, cell phone, gas card, 10$ an hour into pension/retirement and 5$ an hour into healthcare. However this year and next year they aren't taking any classes. It is worth it if you can get in but you usually have to know someone to get in. My dad owns a union company and got my husband in to work for his company.

Stay away from the unions! Right now there are over 470 HVAC people on the bench in my union. The people on the bench are forbidden to look for work in their field on their own, you have to wait for the union to find you a job. In the mean time they still have to pay union dues. The medical benefits are terrible. Their is a $25 co-pay per office visit with a family deductable of $6000. We could of had better and cheaper insurance thru my spouse but you can not opt out of the unions insurance. My insurance package cost over $7 a hour, if you do the math and look at the co-pays and deductable this is no bargain.
You also have to remember you are not treated as a human...you are a piece of equipment in their eyes and you are very disposable. The union does not help the members...the stories you hear that the union reps are only in it for them is VERY TRUE!
If you value your rights and your freedom...stay away!

I agree!!!

Useless Unions in Minneapolis, Minnesota said: I agree!!!

Just go to work and give an honest day of work and you will stay employed. Unions are the best thing going for any worker in America. Its what this country was built on. Look now adays there are less and less of unions workers around, and nobody has health care no one is getting good pay (except the ceos) and there are illegal immigrants all over doing a crappy job for pennies. Stand up voice your rights and GO UNION>

Kurt go to the Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 in Philadelphia, PA. Its at 1301 Columbus Blvd. The hall is the building of the right, the training center is the one on the right. Go into either to find out when the next test is happening. You need a GED at minimum, and be prepared to take a drug test. Good luck we are always looking for talent.

I graduated with an Associate Degree in HVAC and i'm really having a hard time finding a job. All i keep hearing is NO JOB EXPERIANCE. I live in Boston,MA and have decided to join an apprentice program but don't really know where to go or where to start from. I really need your advise guys. Life is getting very tough every single day

same issue here in nevada. hundreds of applications. went to school have my certs and not a single company will even talk to me because i havent been in the industry for at least 5 years. how the hell are people supposed to get experience without getting the opportunity to learn

Ed in Abington, Massachusetts said: I graduated with an Associate Degree in HVAC and i'm really having a hard time finding a job. All i keep hearing is NO JOB EXPERIANCE. I live in Boston,MA and have decided to join an apprentice program but don't really know where to go or where to start from. I really need your advise guys. Life is getting very tough every single day

Hi Ed,
I am currently in a degree program for HVAC and my professor tells me about plenty of work in the field, which surprisingly is a HUGE field. By this I mean there are numerous applications im which to work. I have found many jobs also but you are right- most require SOME experience but you 2 years in college SHOULD account for something. There are postings on the job board and there is a website specifically for HVAC jobs. try googling HVAC jobs Boston and you will get numerous hits (I'm sure you already tried that) but did you try Hvacagent.com?
The trick to no experience (or minimal) is to "sell yourself". Make someone feel "safe" in hiring you by presenting a good resume with great "selling points" about yourself, your work ethic, your "related" experiences.
I'm right next door in Rockland...we should talk. Get back to me! Joe

Ed. I went to Peterson School back in 1997. My first job was with Pepsi as a vending mechanic. All I needed was a type 2 reclaim and refrigeration knowledge. The pay was decent at the time about 15.00. I know now that Pepsi in Haverhill, Wilmington and Needham were advertising. I haven't worked for them since 2003. It was all I needed for my time to get a license. I work in the commercial facility end of hvac now. The most important thing is to get your working hours to get your license. The amount of jobs in Ma for a licensed hvac are plentiful.

Ed in Abington, Massachusetts said: I graduated with an Associate Degree in HVAC and i'm really having a hard time finding a job. All i keep hearing is NO JOB EXPERIANCE. I live in Boston,MA and have decided to join an apprentice program but don't really know where to go or where to start from. I really need your advise guys. Life is getting very tough every single day

I have been a sheeet metal worker for 25years installing ductwork also service and installation mixed in for the last 10 years I have done bidding ,system design , drafting , was sheetmetal forman ,production manager and now run the sheetmetal shop they pay me salary of 1100.00 a week before we took a 15% deuction because of work being slow my problem is we are required to work a 50 hour week on salary thats fine but if you take a day off you get docted in pay for that day but we work over our 50 hours by 8-10 hours we dont get payed for it not even in comp time is this legal.

Brian in Mount Laurel, New Jersey said: Just go to work and give an honest day of work and you will stay employed. Unions are the best thing going for any worker in America. Its what this country was built on. Look now adays there are less and less of unions workers around, and nobody has health care no one is getting good pay (except the ceos) and there are illegal immigrants all over doing a crappy job for pennies. Stand up voice your rights and GO UNION>

Yea well my honest days of working in the trade for the past 10 years have gotten me laid off. Pipefitters 597 in chicago pays journeyman over $43 an hour. Unfortunately that is the reason why all the union shops out here are dying, they are way overpriced to customers compared to nonunion shops in my area. I have 10 years in the trade, 5 years nonunion and the past 5 in the union.. been laid off from the union for the past 5 months and they still expect me to pay my dues while doing NOTHING to help me find a job. Its all about the company you work for, whether they are union or not, if they take care of you then thats all that matters.

Hi my name is alex and I'm currently looking for anpprentice job. Truthfully I would work for under the tabel below minimum wage. I'm a student at lincoln tech hvac program in union nj. If anyone can help me please email me at richardson.alejandro@gmail.com. Anything is appreciated

I completed the HVAC program last May, and because I could not find a job(due to lack of experience in the HVAC field), I had to go back to school in August 09' just to pick up some extra classes. I have various certifications including a universal EPA, but companies always say that they want at least 2-5 years experience in the field. I don't know how anybody can get the experience if they can't get hired. I am getting more and more frustrated by the day. I also got my CPO certification and thought that I would try apartment maintenance, and I have had some call backs, but still no job offer. I have even offered to work in the front offices of HVAC companies, but that didn't work either.

Aj in Woodbridge, Virginia said: can someone help me find the local hvac union thats located in dc/va i've tried searching for it through google but just couldnt find anything?

thnak you

try ua local 602 , google it

Need serious help on getting cfc certification. I am in the virginia and dc area. how can i get certification other than joining a union. I would like to get it as quick as possible any info?

local 18 sheetmetal union sucks i have been in it for 11 years people are such dam back stabbers i worked both union and nonunion i was happy working nonunion

KNIGHT in Arlington, Virginia said: Need serious help on getting cfc certification. I am in the virginia and dc area. how can i get certification other than joining a union. I would like to get it as quick as possible any info?

go to any supply house such as R.E. Michal and they put of cfc cert classes almost weekly. Check there and C.C. dickson or your local community collage. good luck

i graduated from a local "technical college" in st louis here with an associates DEGREE in HVAC (that cost me 25 grand) FOUR MONTHS AGO and still have not been offered one single job relted to HVAC. i went to try to sign up at a few different unions - both of the tinners unions i went to want me to pay them money in order for me to sign up (which doesn't make sense to me) so i passed on signing up for them - boilermakers have not called back, and pipefitters aren't taking sign ups until october lol.
HVAC was a horrible career choice for me to go to college for because all it has done is pile more debt on top of my head. and of course the school - which promised me they'd help me out above and beyond to get me a job before i enrolled- hasn't done a damn thing for me. i guess they've already got my money what the hell do they care about me now right? the american way lol

My cost for obtaining an Associates degree in HVAC has also piled up my debt. It's very frustrating to keep being told that I need "5 yrs experience" to get a job. I am enrolled in school once again this semester. I've had to change my career goals all together. I am now in the network administration program. You may try paying to get your CPO certification. I had to pay like $400 to take that two day class, but I did get my CPO certification and that way you may be able to do apartment maintenance. I tried to find a job in apartment maintenance as well since I have the HVAC and the Pool certification, but I also failed due to "no experience." I guess my career now is being a student.

it just really pi$$es me off because the school i went to - ranken technical college - tells everyone that comes to look at the school that they're going to bend over backwards helping you get a job, and that they have these astronomical employment placement rates, i think i read on last years' catalog "4.79 jobs per graduate" for the HVAC program.
and they haven't done a DAMN thing to help me get a job, and to be honest i think it's more like "4.79 graduates per job".
i think these schools should be able to be held legally responsible for lying to people to convince them to borrow money to come to their school.
i mean christ - 25 grand is 40% of my mortgage balance.
i've had ONE interview over this summer for a job relating to HVAC, and they asked me point blank in the interview "we know people can go through ranken and not do anything and still get C's - were you one of these people?"
i mean jesus lol - that should tell you something about the difference of the image ranken tries to project, and what is reality lol.

broke and in debt in Wood River, Illinois said: it just really pi$$es me off because the school i went to - ranken technical college - tells everyone that comes to look at the school that they're going to bend over backwards helping you get a job, and that they have these astronomical employment placement rates, i think i read on last years' catalog "4.79 jobs per graduate" for the HVAC program.
and they haven't done a DAMN thing to help me get a job, and to be honest i think it's more like "4.79 graduates per job".
i think these schools should be able to be held legally responsible for lying to people to convince them to borrow money to come to their school.
i mean christ - 25 grand is 40% of my mortgage balance.
i've had ONE interview over this summer for a job relating to HVAC, and they asked me point blank in the interview "we know people can go through ranken and not do anything and still get C's - were you one of these people?"
i mean jesus lol - that should tell you something about the difference of the image ranken tries to project, and what is reality lol.

I know exactly what you are talking about. 3 years ago I received a certificate in HVAC from Southwestern Illinois College in Granite City, Not one time since then have I been offered a job in the field of HVAC. I can also say that 90% of the students that were in my class were no better off. The only ones that were able to get a job in this field were the ones that knew somebody and probably would have been able to get a job with or without schooling.

The biggest part of the problem is the number of trade schools in the area. There is Rankin, Vaterot, American Trade School and Southwestern Illinois College just to name a few. I've even seen ads on Craigslist for an individual owner of a HVAC business offering what he calls "cheap training on a very promising career." A certificate in this trade means about as much as something that you could get out of a Cracker Jack box.

i feel your pain. i went to a tech school and couldn't get a service job after. i have since got in the union and just started my 4th yr in my apprenticeship. i am in service now, but it was a long hard road. i didn't know anyone to get in. i did get in and bust my butt. eventually i was blessed with a service position. i can look back and honestly see why i didn't get a service position after just attending a tech school. well, i take that back, i could've had several but thought i deserved a full fledged service position instead of being a helper. just attending class and getting a little shop time is nice. it gives you the basics, but it is a whole other ballgame out there in the field. they fed us the same line of feces about all the jobs. once you get experience though, the jobs are out there. fresh olut of class, not so much...

my advice, get a position someplace even if it is as a helper in a mom and pops operation. it will give you experience and open the doors later on. it is worth it in the long run.

just my 2 cents....

geckoejon in Kissimmee, Florida said: i feel your pain. i went to a tech school and couldn't get a service job after. i have since got in the union and just started my 4th yr in my apprenticeship. i am in service now, but it was a long hard road. i didn't know anyone to get in. i did get in and bust my butt. eventually i was blessed with a service position. i can look back and honestly see why i didn't get a service position after just attending a tech school. well, i take that back, i could've had several but thought i deserved a full fledged service position instead of being a helper. just attending class and getting a little shop time is nice. it gives you the basics, but it is a whole other ballgame out there in the field. they fed us the same line of feces about all the jobs. once you get experience though, the jobs are out there. fresh olut of class, not so much...

my advice, get a position someplace even if it is as a helper in a mom and pops operation. it will give you experience and open the doors later on. it is worth it in the long run.

just my 2 cents....

That is why I believe school is overrated. 90% of what you learn will be from working on the job. Back in the old days, people actually believed in training somebody for a job. Now they expect everybody to go to school and waste their time and money for a job that they probably don't have any real chance of getting. If somebody has a mechanical aptitude they will probably learn more on one month of the job then they did in 2 years of school.

try getting into your local union apprenticeship then you can get both. i think school is a great thing and much, but not by itself. you need the hands on experience with it.

our union halls around here are so tight you practically have to be born into them - when they're even hiring once a decade lol. seriously - if you don't know someone you can just forget about it.
i went and signed up at the sheet metal hall in st louis, but they want people to go back to the ranken, and pay ranken 40 dollars to take some generic aptitude test. i called ranken and they wont let me take it for free even though i just gave them 25 grand and just graduated from there- they still want another 40 bucks for me to walk in and take the same test i took on their computers to get into ranken in the first place lol. how's that for "job placement assistance"? lol
i would go and take it just to get on the list, but i really can't afford 40 bucks just to get signed up at a union that isn't hiring anyways.
i can understand what you guys are saying about just knowing the basics with a 'certificate' - but i have an associates degree now, and i know quite a bit more than just "basics" believe it or not.
but still - i can't even find a job as a helper anywhere. nobody's hiring anything but "experienced" around here.

I graduated from North Montco Tech School for Residential A/C and Heating I have EPA cert for universal and R410-A safety cert yet I can't even get an interview. I have worked as a field tech for 10 years so dealing with people and working on my own is nothing I'm not used to, also I sent resumes and have in perso to many of the hvac companies in the area offering to work as an unpaid intern or part time till I get the proper experience, if someone has a suggestion on how to get started in this business I would appreciate the suggestions of any and all kinds no matter what it sounds like. You can email me at Travelingman312@aol.com I would appreciate any and all help thank you.

tom in Edwardsville, Illinois said: our union halls around here are so tight you practically have to be born into them - when they're even hiring once a decade lol. seriously - if you don't know someone you can just forget about it.
i went and signed up at the sheet metal hall in st louis, but they want people to go back to the ranken, and pay ranken 40 dollars to take some generic aptitude test. i called ranken and they wont let me take it for free even though i just gave them 25 grand and just graduated from there- they still want another 40 bucks for me to walk in and take the same test i took on their computers to get into ranken in the first place lol. how's that for "job placement assistance"? lol
i would go and take it just to get on the list, but i really can't afford 40 bucks just to get signed up at a union that isn't hiring anyways.
i can understand what you guys are saying about just knowing the basics with a 'certificate' - but i have an associates degree now, and i know quite a bit more than just "basics" believe it or not.
but still - i can't even find a job as a helper anywhere. nobody's hiring anything but "experienced" around here.

The same thing is happening in PA they all want 3 to 7 years experience maybe you might try getting into an intern program that will help get your experience or go to hvac supply houses where the local contractors get their supplies and offer to work with them to get yoyr experience that way.

Bob B in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania said: The same thing is happening in PA they all want 3 to 7 years experience maybe you might try getting into an intern program that will help get your experience or go to hvac supply houses where the local contractors get their supplies and offer to work with them to get yoyr experience that way.

yeah. i don't mean to sound a debbie downer, but i've been to a couple of the parts houses, they all say the same thing lol. "i dunno man - leave me your resume maybe i'll hear something"...
god i wish i could go back 2 years and just to my local community college's 2 year nursing program instead of this "HVAC" crap. what a horrible waste of time and money.
well at least i hear other people are also having a hard time finding a first job in this field and it's not just me, like that really matters anyways lol.
i'm considering bankruptcy now.
i'm considering maybe tyring to sell my house, if it sells if not just let them foreclose on it i don't care anymore, and moving into some cheap trailer somewhere and working at mcdonald's and getting on as much welfare and food stamps as i can.
screw it lol. nobody wants to give me a job then the economy can suck up my debt and failure lol. i'm tired of working my a$$ off just to pay for the big bank executive's bailout and everything else.

personally, i never had that much of a problem finding a job no matter where i lived. i never had anyone just opening doors for me. i did go out and beat the pavement and walk into many places and ask personally if they were hiring. sometimes it is a different story if you walk in personally. if you are looking to get into hvac possibly try sheetmetal, ductwork, new installs, controls,pipefitting, plumbing, ect.. would help you get a little hands on experience while you look for something else. i have also learned that in the hvac field it is kind of a small world. your reputation follows you around and will make or break you....

tom in Edwardsville, Illinois said: yeah. i don't mean to sound a debbie downer, but i've been to a couple of the parts houses, they all say the same thing lol. "i dunno man - leave me your resume maybe i'll hear something"...
god i wish i could go back 2 years and just to my local community college's 2 year nursing program instead of this "HVAC" crap. what a horrible waste of time and money.
well at least i hear other people are also having a hard time finding a first job in this field and it's not just me, like that really matters anyways lol.
i'm considering bankruptcy now.
i'm considering maybe tyring to sell my house, if it sells if not just let them foreclose on it i don't care anymore, and moving into some cheap trailer somewhere and working at mcdonald's and getting on as much welfare and food stamps as i can.
screw it lol. nobody wants to give me a job then the economy can suck up my debt and failure lol. i'm tired of working my a$$ off just to pay for the big bank executive's bailout and everything else.

You may as well get a job at McDonald's. Without a doubt you would have a hell of a lot better chance of getting hired. Plus the pay would be about the same as an entry level HVAC tech and you would not have to supply your own tools. Maybe after a few years you could work your way into management and then you will be making the big bucks.

I think what these trade schools are doing is borderline illegal. They no damn good and well when you sign up that you are more than likely not going to get a job in this field but they do not care as long as they get your money.

Right now I'm out of work and I have no intention of getting a job unless I find something that pays a living wage. I would rather panhandle then be taken advantage of. With the wages that these people are offering now and days, it's not like I'm not going to be living under a bridge sooner or later. Google "Rufus Hannah." This is what my future has in store.

Phanique Dupree in Neptune, New Jersey said: I have a hvac certification, EPA , and a 410a Liceince is an Hvac union worth getting into. If so how easy is it to get in.

Yes it is join the United Association of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters. Here in Canada it is not difficult to get in but do not know of the US. It is a little tight job wise in Canada too. Personally looking myself
Good luck and be detirmined.
Brent

jon in Chicago, Illinois said: Yea well my honest days of working in the trade for the past 10 years have gotten me laid off. Pipefitters 597 in chicago pays journeyman over $43 an hour. Unfortunately that is the reason why all the union shops out here are dying, they are way overpriced to customers compared to nonunion shops in my area. I have 10 years in the trade, 5 years nonunion and the past 5 in the union.. been laid off from the union for the past 5 months and they still expect me to pay my dues while doing NOTHING to help me find a job. Its all about the company you work for, whether they are union or not, if they take care of you then thats all that matters.

You worked non-union for five years then knocked on 597's door why? You must have liked that they set the standard in Chicago you probably liked the pay and the benefits but now you are out of work. So are a lot of other HVAC personell. Have you tried to increase your skill level? 597 Training Center's parking lot is full every night. Go ahead and blame the Union for no work never mind a crappy economy and your lack of skills. A lot of us have had to endure less than 40 hours or unemployment. So put your Union Card in your boot go back and work rat; lower the standards for the Industry. Then whine that you have no pension to retire on. Four Seasons is looking for Furnace replacement specialist. Practice this "Mam your heat exchanger is cracked you are endangering your family by allowing excessive Carbon Monoxide into your house"