If You're Thinking About Being an HVAC Technician, You Have a Bright Future!

[pbharvey]

#7 out of the top 20 jobs that don't require a college degree

[valdelocc]

I wouldn't go as far as "bright future", HVAC is a hard trade, it breaks your body, requires a lot of learning and the rewards are not that good, as soon as you hit 50 nobody wants you, there are far better ways to earn a living.
I love the trade but I wouldn't want my son to follow my footsteps.

[mikeybow]

I wouldn't go as far as "bright future", HVAC is a hard trade, it breaks your body, requires a lot of learning and the rewards are not that good, as soon as you hit 50 nobody wants you, there are far better ways to earn a living.
I love the trade but I wouldn't want my son to follow my footsteps.

I'm there with you. Body hurts in places a body should not have.

[TheChillerMan]

I wouldn't go as far as "bright future", HVAC is a hard trade, it breaks your body, requires a lot of learning and the rewards are not that good, as soon as you hit 50 nobody wants you, there are far better ways to earn a living.
I love the trade but I wouldn't want my son to follow my footsteps.

I'm 40 and my body is still in great shape. I earn six figures with very little overtime. I work for the best HVAC company on the planet. I will be with them until I retire.

Not too bad, uh?

To last in this trade you can't do residential for your entire career.

[valdelocc]

I'm 40 and my body is still in great shape. I earn six figures with very little overtime. I work for the best HVAC company on the planet. I will be with them until I retire.

Not too bad, uh?

To last in this trade you can't do residential for your entire career.

residential? uh?Glad you done so well, If I had a warm cookie right now I would send it your way, tap yourself on the shoulder, haven't come close to six figures and I'm union journeyman(commercial-industrial), when I was 40 I wasn't in too bad of a shape, wait and see

[blownfuse99]

residential? uh?Glad you done so well, If I had a warm cookie right now I would send it your way, tap yourself on the shoulder, haven't come close to six figures and I'm union journeyman(commercial-industrial), when I was 40 I wasn't in too bad of a shape, wait and see

I wounder what he sales on the side to make 6 figures

[Tech Rob]

I'm really tired of these condescending articles that basically find nice ways to say "Are you too dumb or poor to go to college and get a real job? Become a _________, because they are dumb, broke underachievers like you, and their menial jobs require no expertise; only a lack of pride and a pulse!"

Or "Are you too good to do a job that requires movement of any part of your body other than your right forearm? Become a manager of something and find someone to pay you to click a mouse for 8 hours a day!"

People have told me I have an attitude problem, and that I have a chip on my shoulder... I don't know where they get that idea

[RayD8630]

Resi is a good way to learn the basics. I started in it. But you can only learn so much in it.

I love when people ask me about my trade that aren't really doing anything. Second I tell them my longest day when from 8am till 4am the next day they seem to lose all interest in it. Wonder why?

[drkglass01]

Bad news for me, I guess. I am 52 and just getting started in the trade. In my opinion, if you enjoy what you do, that will keep you young ! I find this new career to be a challenge, but I guess you only get out what you put in. As far as being hard on your body ?! I got tired of pushing that damn mouse around. I am hoping, maybe, I can get a little exercise while I am working

[John Markl]

As with any trade, the wise person increases his knowledge with age, so that when the body begins to balk, they are able to make their living with their brains.

A person who declines to train to do service, in favor of staying an installer, deserves no sympathy when his body shoots him the finger.

Work smarter, not harder. This trade is wide open for anybody who has the drive and ambition to become a true technician.

I know guys who did this well into their 80's. Sure, they needed a helper for the last ten years or so, but they were still well worth it, for the knowledge that they had between their ears. And they weren't doing it for the money, they were doing it because they loved it.

[drkglass01]

.

I know guys who did this well into their 80's. Sure, they needed a helper for the last ten years or so, but they were still well worth it, for the knowledge that they had between their ears. And they weren't doing it for the money, they were doing it because they loved it.

There still maybe hope for me ! You know, Tom Cruise still does his own stunts and he will be 50 in July.

P.S. I know I am not Tom Cruise, but as an HVAC tech I don't think I will have to rappel down the side of a building to service their AC, but what the hell I would give it a shot

[VTP99]

The man who loves his job never works a day in his life !

[TheChillerMan]

I wounder what he sales on the side to make 6 figures

Nothing.

I am an hourly service tech. I make a high hourly wage. With that and about 60 hours O/T a year I clear six figures. The point of my post was to prove that no, you don't have to go to college to make excellent money, especially as a craftsman/tradesman. If you work hard, and improve yourself over time you can make excellent money and have an excellent quality of life.