With the demand for skilled workers outpacing the supply, now might be the perfect time to see if a career in the HVAC industry is right for you.
If you’re looking to start your career in a secure field or you’re thinking of changing your career, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry has a lot to offer and love. In the HVAC industry, professionals deal with all things related to air purity, cooling and heating systems. This field provides workers with a lot of benefits and opportunities for growth.
Despite all of these benefits though, the HVAC industry is experiencing a labor shortage and struggling to find and recruit the skilled workers needed for critical positions. There’s a variety of reasons for the labor shortage affecting the skilled trades that make up the HVAC industry right now. For one, more workers are retiring from these jobs than people entering these careers every year. Another big reason companies are struggling to find skilled workers for these jobs are the misconceptions around this trade.
At JAC Services we know how important it is to have skilled workers in this field. We’ve seen the effect misconceptions about the HVAC industry has had on attracting new workers which is why we’re here to debunk those myths and give you the facts on what jobs in this field are really like! Keep reading for the truth behind some of the biggest misconceptions about working in the HVAC industry.
1. Pay isn’t good
From the time we’re young, it’s often drilled into our heads that in order to be successful and earn a good living you must work in a traditional, 9-5 office job. We often assume that if someone isn’t working in a job that requires a degree from a college or university, then it must not pay well. This however, is simply not the case. The HVAC industry is filled with well-paying and even highly lucrative jobs and positions. In fact, not only can you make a great living working in this trade, but you’re also more likely to start earning more, fasterthan you would working many of the entry-level jobs that require a degree. Additionally, there’s a lot more opportunity to have your training paid for in this industry, so you won’t be left with the student debt that those seeking traditional white-collar positions often face. So, no student debt, paid training and higher-paying entry-level positions? Sounds like good pay to us!
2. Don’t require skill
Many trade jobs, including those in the HVAC industry, are often viewed as not requiring much skill, but again, this is not the case. Working in the HVAC industry requires you to constantly solve and think through problems you come across in the field. You’re also doing a job that only a select amount of people can do, meaning people are regularly looking to you for your opinions, guidance and expertise. Jobs in the HVAC industry require a high degree of specialized skills, focus and knowledge on this subject.
3. It’s hard to find a steady job
One common misconception about the HVAC industry is that people often assume there isn’t steady work and workers are always having to bounce from one temporary gig to the next. On the contrary, the HVAC industry is filled with a variety of jobs to fit whatever you may be looking for. No matter your experience level, you’re liable to find steady, dependable employment with a single company. Many companies within the HVAC industry offer permanent positions with opportunities for long-term growth, making it easy to build your career in this field. Additionally, demand for skilled technicians in this field is higher than ever and companies are eagerly recruiting permanent positions. With more workers retiring everyday than joining this industry, the demand for skilled workers has skyrocketed, giving HVAC pros plenty of options when it comes to choosing their next position.
4. Not a ‘real’ career
Similarly, working as an HVAC technician is sometimes overlooked as being a viable career path. People are more likely to describe these positions as jobs rather than careers. However, like typical office jobs, jobs in the HVAC industry offer opportunities for growth and advancement as well. Just like other industries, the HVAC industry consists of entry-level, mid-level and senior or management positions. Also just like any other industry, workers in these positions are able to move up as their experience increases, and with each promotion comes increased training, benefits and pay.
5. Skilled trades are only for men
While the HVAC industry, like many trades, has historically consisted of mostly men, these fields have made an effort to be more inclusive over the past few decades. The amount of women working in the HVAC industry is expected to continue to climb in the coming years. Like the other misconceptions on this list, it’s often assumed that the HVAC industry is only a career choice for men, but more and more women are challenging this misconception every day and making a career out of this skilled trade.
6. Only for people who didn’t do well in school
Students are often pushed to go to college, and as a result, there’s a misconception that learning a trade is only for those who didn’t have the best grades. This misconception usually stems from some of the other misconceptions on our list, like that trades don’t require skill or won’t lead to a viable career. On the contrary, every type of trade does require learning and studying, just a different kind than what you get in the classroom. Understanding a trade, like being an HVAC technician, is all about hands-on learning and applying the basic math and science concepts you learned in school to tangible tasks in the real world.
As you can see, there are many misconceptions about working in the HVAC industry, but once you know what these jobs are really like, it’s easy to see how much a career in this field can offer. With the demand for skilled workers outpacing the supply, now might be the perfect time to see if a career in the HVAC industry is right for you.
