The HVAC/R Apprentice position allows individuals to learn the skills required of the commercial HVAC/R installation and service trade while working in a full-time paid employment position with on-the-job training from experienced HVAC journey-level technicians as well as company-provided structured apprenticeship training classes.
HVAC/R apprenticeships provide both on-the-job training and classroom instruction, allowing Apprentices to earn wages while learning a trade. They offer the biggest career advancement opportunities in the HVAC/R industry. Apprenticeships can be either union or merit based career paths that help employers recruit and train employees to become a highly-skilled workforce. Most HVAC/R apprenticeships are 4-years or 5-years with employees receiving an increasing wage at regular intervals, often every 6-months or a year. Apprentices' work usually begins with simple HVAC/R tasks and it progresses to more complex tasks as time goes on. Upon successful completion of the four or five-year program, Apprentices graduate to a Journey-Level Technician.
Individuals can bypass vocational schools or post-secondary HVAC/R education and training and enter directly into an apprenticeship, but many individuals do both, by first completing HVAC/R training prior to entering the apprenticeship. In many cases the length of the apprenticeship can be shortened by completing HVAC/R courses or programs.
Advancement Routes
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▸ Commercial Service Technician
This advance most often requires excellent customer service skills and additional experience. -
▸ Stationary Engineer
Additional training would support this advancement. -
▸ Journey-Level HVAC Technician
This move requires completion of an approved HVAC/R apprenticeship. -
▸ Journey-Level Refrigeration Technician
This move requires completion of an approved HVAC/R apprenticeship. -
▸ Residential Service Technician
This advance most often requires excellent customer service skills. -
▸ Wholesale Counter Sales
This advance most often requires excellent customer service skills. -
▸ Controls Installer
Knowledge of building automation systems would support this move. -
▸ Building Automation Systems Trainee
Post-secondary training would support this move. -
▸ Sales & Marketing Associate
This advance requires someone to be highly motivated and a self-starter. -
▸ Facilities Maintenance Technician
Experience using a computerized maintenance management system would help facilitate this move. -
▸ Cooking Equipment Service Technician
Knowledge of commercial cooking equipment would support this move. -
▸ Test & Balance Technician
This advancement may require specialized training and certification.
