Still Looking for an Apprentice position at HVAC company in Connecticut

If anyone knows of a company in the New Haven or Fairfield County area looking to hire an "apprentice", I am very eager to get my foot in the door. I graduated in April '09 with a 4.0 GPA and an universal EPA. It has been a "rough" road since then finding a job. I have gone on several interviews and sent out so many coverletters/resumes, I have lost count and still NOTHING. I am on every job website (Monster, Careerbuilder, Simplyhired, Indeed, Craiglist, etc) on a daily basis. Also, on here, MEPJobs and even individual HVAC company website either applying for what is advertised or just sending my resume "COLD".

I know the economy is BAD, but come on. Why isn't anyone willing to give a guy a chance. The one thing I will say, is I am finding very little "professionalism" on their part in the way I am getting treated by these companies who do get in touch with me. I play telephone tag with many of them with no positive results and even after I interview, why do they say they will let me know in a week or two and never, ever get back to me. I have tried to contact them and they act like I am bothering them or I leave message(s) and they never call me back to explain...what gives?? Why can't they just be HONEST - sorry, we found someone else or your qualifications don't fit our needs. I could take that better than NOTHING.

When this keeps happening time and time again, it gets very hard to keep a positive attitude about this whole career change to HVAC that I have made.

Of course, I will continue to press on, that is all I can do. There are bills to be paid (like a student loan), but I am determined to get into a company. Hopefully, I will look back on this experience and and say "PHEW" at how much effort and determination it took to get into this industry. :cool:

Did you go to college or trade school and for how long??? The reason I'm asking this is, because I'm currently looking to get into an HVAC school and eventually get all the required certifications to start working in the industry. Thanks

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Originally Posted by socal619

Did you go to college or trade school and for how long??? The reason I'm asking this is, because I'm currently looking to get into an HVAC school and eventually get all the required certifications to start working in the industry. Thanks

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I went to Porter & Chester in Stratford, CT for a year (days, which is 12 months) nights is 18 months. The only certification you can will receive is an Universal EPA from this school. Then you have to get your foot in the door at a company and get a few years of experience under your belt before you can get an actual license. Read up on as much as you can on HVAC and the required certifications/licenses because these schools won't tell you everything and want you to believe you will get a job right after you finish, which isn't always the case (look at me, LOL). I guess you can say any career move is a crap shoot in a way and if you have no experience, it is starting at the bottom of the barrel. :(

Good luck.

I was in the same boat a year ago. Had an Assoc. degree, universal epa and all that. Had multiple interviews. And yes, it does seem that most people that you interview with are weasels when it comes to taking a phone call or whatever.

The only people that were straight up with me was the sheet metal union. I interviewed... they told me how crappy the economy was and said i'm top 3 on their apprentice list.

2 weeks later i got a call for a 1st yr apprentice position.

Got laid off from that company after about 10 months. Picketed with the hall for $75 a day and guess what... they found me another job at a better company. I love it!

The non-union companies only wanted to pay me $10-12/hr to start which I thought was pretty ridiculous. It was frustrating that i wasn't getting a job but it finally worked out the way i wanted it to.

I know there are people are there that have tried and tried to get into the union and couldn't... but for me it was the other way around. The union was the ONLY offer I received out of about 40 resumes and 6 interviews.