If you’re a young person today who understands that post-secondary education is not only important but increasingly indispensable, the only question the remains to be answered is, “What should I study?” While many would-be students associate post-secondary studies with college—that is, with academic pursuits like chemistry, literature, or women’s studies—the simple fact is that vocational schools are also an important part of the post-secondary landscape.
Any student with mechanical aptitude should consider HVAC as a career.
The breadth and depth of the industry is enormous, providing a never-ending series of challenges and opportunities to those with ambition, curiosity and talent. Whether one chooses to become an HVAC design engineer, technician, or installer—or finds other opportunities in the field—HVAC is a dynamic industry, and one remarkably insulated from economic disruption. The pay, depending on the region of the country one chooses to work, is excellent. HVAC installer earn around $50,000 per year, on average, while it’s not at all unusual for more highly-trained design engineers to pull in well over $100,000 per year. The most important thing for prospective trainees to understand is that HVAC is a complex and challenging field; new technologies are constantly coming to market, traditional assumptions and practices are constantly being upended, and the mix of workers from increasingly diverse backgrounds (and age groupings) promises a uniquely-stimulating experience. In short, HVAC workers—whether modestly-skilled or among the most highly-skilled in the profession—are never bored. And as investment in infrastructure increases and economic growth at home and overseas continues, it seems likely that HVAC will remain a lucrative, stimulating, and fundamentally rewarding career choice.