How Did You Get Your Start In HVAC?

[critterhunter]

As somebody who went to a trade school and can't seem to find a company who will hire me without experience, I'm really curious to hear how you guys got your start in HVAC. Some stories should help inspire us trying to enter the field that it can be done as a newbie. Did you go to school for it or start out as a helper or installer or something? How did you hear about the job opening? It's almost like you have to be a family member to get your foot in the door the way I feel right now. So tell us your stories...How did you get your foot in the door?

[keeplearnin]

helper, parts runner, but what you really need is some mechanical inclination. What kind of exp. do you have breaking and fixing things.

[supertek65]

i was an auto mechanic and the shop burnt!

i had no tools left after the fire so i got a job installing water heaters and furnaces.

then boilers and chillers!

[supertek65]

do you want a list?

helper, parts runner, but what you really need is some mechanical inclination. What kind of exp. do you have breaking and fixing things.

[jpsmith1cm]

do you want a list?

You kept a list??

Heck, I'd have run out of paper.

[freonrick]

I went to 2 years of vo-tech for hvac while I was in high school. During spring break I went job hunting and had a job lined out when school was out. 2 weeks riding with someone I was put out in a van solo. The vo-tech was in Nevada Mo and my job was in Wichita when I got out. You will need to sell yourself since you do not have experience.

[kamersoutdoor]

Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired

[supertek65]

Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired
Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired
Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired
Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired
Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired
Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired
Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired
Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired
Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>get good job!

Lie, learn as much as you can until they figure out you know nothing......Repeat as desired

[supertek65]

i was finishing cement in Georgia when I got out of the ARMY!
we were doing a runway and it was like 108 degrees out.

foreman yells out "ANYBODY KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A 13 SPEED ALLISON TRANSMISSION?"

Ofcourse I never had but it was hot!
I said " I DO!"

he took me to the batch plant gave me a hard hat and siad get in!
20 yard cement truck! OOH BIG TRUCK!!!!!!!!!!

he gets in, I start it figure out the parking/air brakes. Back it under the batch plant, get loaded up and put her in first gear, hit the clutch to go to second gear and he says "STOP!"
"YOU HAVE NEVER DRIVEN A 13 SPEED BEFORE HAVE YOU?"
"no,i lied!"
"if you can figure it out by the time we get back to the batch plant? you can have the job!"

[hurtinhvac]

Had strikes against me given my age and the fact that I spent 25 years behind a desk. So I made damn sure I wasn't ever late to the trade school I attended, much less miss a day; and studied my azz off - graduating with a 98 overall. So when a prospective employer called for an extra body to make wraps, slips and drives, deliver equipment and haul the old away, clean and checks, dirty work etc...the coordinator at the school could at least say I was dedicated.

Now I have one cooling season under my belt and most of a heating season, run solo and take home the truck. A certificate and a good attitude can get you in the door - the attitude being the harder challenge.

The beginning of cooling season might be better for you as more bodies are genrally needed then...

[supertek65]

GOOD JOB!

Had strikes against me given my age and the fact that I spent 25 years behind a desk. So I made damn sure I wasn't ever late to the trade school I attended, much less miss a day; and studied my azz off - graduating with a 98 overall. So when a prospective employer called for an extra body to make wraps, slips and drives, deliver equipment and haul the old away, clean and checks, dirty work etc...the coordinator at the school could at least say I was dedicated.

Now I have one cooling season under my belt and most of a heating season, run solo and take home the truck. A certificate and a good attitude can get you in the door - the attitude being the harder challenge.

The beginning of cooling season might be better for you as more bodies are genrally needed then...

[hurtinhvac]

GOOD JOB!

Thank you.

I am now qualified to explain to you in great detail how little I really know. Admitting it is the first step.

[supertek65]

true knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing!
Socrates

he must have been an HVAC mechanic!

[2sac]

At 30 years old, had surgery on my ankle and went to trade school because I couldn't work. Grajeeated top of my class and got a job at half my "pre hvac" wages at a union shop changing filters in a corn processing plant. Took 2 weeks to change filters on all the equiptment, then I'd start over again. 11 months later the shop lost the account at the plant, they had no more work for me and we parted ways. Was hired by a refrigeration/light commercial shop 2 days later and was thrown out to the wolves. I've been playing with the wolves for 12 years. It doesn't hurt as much when they bite nowadays.

[RoBoTeq]

I was a petty thief, High School dropout who broke into a van that had a bunch of sheet metal tools. Since they weren't worth anything at the pawn shops, I started using them.

[supertek65]

i adopted my girlfriend who owned an air conditioning company?????????????

[keeplearnin]

i was finishing cement in Georgia when I got out of the ARMY!
we were doing a runway and it was like 108 degrees out.

foreman yells out "ANYBODY KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A 13 SPEED ALLISON TRANSMISSION?"

Ofcourse I never had but it was hot!
I said " I DO!"

he took me to the batch plant gave me a hard hat and siad get in!
20 yard cement truck! OOH BIG TRUCK!!!!!!!!!!

he gets in, I start it figure out the parking/air brakes. Back it under the batch plant, get loaded up and put her in first gear, hit the clutch to go to second gear and he says "STOP!"
"YOU HAVE NEVER DRIVEN A 13 SPEED BEFORE HAVE YOU?"
"no,i lied!"
"if you can figure it out by the time we get back to the batch plant? you can have the job!"

Sweet- did you get it? It's a little different than your moms station wagon

[supertek65]

Yes I did!!!!!!!!!!!
he knew right away cus you do NOT use the clutch for anything but being stopped!

when you got like 60 tons of concrete you better not forget what gear you are in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

after a couple days I forgot where the clutch was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweet- did you get it? It's a little different than your moms station wagon

[keeplearnin]

Yes I did!!!!!!!!!!!
he knew right away cus you do NOT use the clutch for anything but being stopped!

when you got like 60 tons of concrete you better not forget what gear you are in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

after a couple days I forgot where the clutch was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

good job

[supertek65]

Thanx

good job