NATE Certification

[electrical journeyman]

I work for a major Power and Gas Company, and we get a news letter every month and here's what it had to say. I thought it was pretty interesting. These are radio promos that are played consantly - and the customers are now being sent brochours about it.


It was a great scam, or it could have been - if it hadn't been for NATE. I'm sitting around my apartment, when the phone rings. It's a lady looking for a heating and air conditioning guy to work on her equipment. Wrong number. But I need a few bucks. I tell her I'll be right over. Good thing you called, lady, says I. Just point me to the basement and wait here. I'll fix your equipment, all right. Sure thing, says the lady, I just need to see your NATE certification first. N-NATE? says I. North American Technician Excellence, says she. They test and certify technicians to protect consumers like me from substandard service. I won't let anybody but a NATE-certified technician touch my furnace or air conditioner. Can't risk it, says she, what with the purchase price, maintenance, cost of fuel. NATE helps me protect my investment. Err, right, says I. Must have left that NATE certificate out in the truck. Be right back. Of all the heating and cooling scam I could've run, I had to run into a lady who's scam-proof - thanks to NATE.


This just in: NATE certification spares area homeowner the wallet-draining agony of a heating and air conditioning scam. To set the scene: An area homeowner experiences trouble with her furnace. In hast and without considering the possibilities, she calls a local service company, which sends man over. But by the time the technician arrives, she has regained her senses, and she questions him closely. "Are you certified by NATE?" she asks. "N-NATE?" he replies uncertainly. North American Technician Excellence, she explains. The test technicians to certify their knowledge of heating and cooling equipment. That's important for consumers, she notes. In these times of fluctuating fuel prices, inefficiency means wasted energy and lost money. A NATE-certified technician will know how to get peak efficiency from my equipment. So, may I see your NATE certificate? Must have left it in the truck, says the serviceman. Make an educated decision. Get a NATE-certified technician.

[mark beiser]

Some of the worst no nothing sales tech scham artists I know are NATE certified.

I wonder if the lady in question would accept my RSES CM certification, or if she would insist I dig out my poopy NATE card?

[davefr]

Originally posted by mark beiser
Some of the worst no nothing sales tech scham artists I know are NATE certified.

I wonder if the lady in question would accept my RSES CM certification, or if she would insist I dig out my poopy NATE card?

I agree. One of my quotes came from a NATE certified company. They gave me some fancy brochures and asked me if I want 3.5 or 4T!!

IMHO NATE is simply a marketing slogan.

[electrical journeyman]

you may be right - but all the power companys are endorcing this like it's some miracle cure! Just to get hired on any of these companys, they require it just to be considered for employment usually. We're finding more and more HVAC companys are loosing major business that don't get the NATE to the ones who participate. The research that came out last month show, its just going to get even more stronger.

[dash]

Originally posted by mark beiser
Some of the worst no nothing sales tech scham artists I know are NATE certified.

I wonder if the lady in question would accept my RSES CM certification, or if she would insist I dig out my poopy NATE card?

In our area there's a company with RSES-CM in their ads,it's the owner's ,I think,and they are one of the worst in the area.lol

Any Certification,stills requires the desire ,to do it right,IMHO.

[dec]

aaaaaaa...... hay, HVACPOPE when you send me those photocopies of NORM's books , you want to throw in a few of those Nate truck signs, shirt patches, and Nate wallet cards.

Seems like this card I have in my wallet written in crayon that says Nate on it is wearing out too fast and it sounds like the ones you photo copied look better. Mine just had stick figure men on it to look like service men. lol

Ok so tell me ....... if your name is NATE does that mean you dont need shirt patches for advertizing being the name tag on your shirt already says NATE on it ?????????????

[hvaclover]

I'm with Mark, show your license and RSES card and tell the customer the proud history of RSES and it's ongoing dedication to education going back some seventy years.

Just my opinion, but experience speaks louder than hype.

[supertek65]

From what I have read of Norm's posts. He will @#it if he see's you photo copying his book. NATE is easy and it is a scam, but atleast it is something! I think they are on the right track.
For most guys in the industry RSES is too tough. Maybe RSES should roll with the times and get a certification that is geared towards residential and relatively easy.
How about calling it HVAC for dummies specialist.
I got quized by some bigshot instructor at the training center and he asked me about the P-E chart, like I wouldn't know what it is, I told him that we covered that extensively in the tech one manual about 20 years ago and what did he need help with? I doubt he could pass the tech one exam!

Frank

[hvaclover]

[i] NATE is easy and it is a scam, but atleast it is something!
I think they are on the right track.

For most guys in the industry RSES is too tough.

Maybe RSES should roll with the times and get a certification that is geared towards residential and relatively easy.
Frank [/B]

Yes RSES is tough.

But traditionally "TOUGH" is what separates the men from the boys in this industry.

RSES will never get "easier" because the membership has a dogged responsibility to train those that come after us to be the best in the business just as WE codgers are now.

First time I was complimented by an insult.

[dec]

Im not worried....... Im gonna blame it on HVACPOPE being Norm knows where we both live.

[rclaoac]

Got my NATE cert. not too long ago. The exam was a lot easier than the California Contractor exam. It's good to have something nationally reconized. I'm dissappointed at how the wallet cards and wall certificates look like they're home made though.

[refrige-nate]

my name is NATE and i think NATE is definetly pretty easy to get, but like stated before no matter what certification you have there is still a will to do it correctly and proffesionally, thats what makes us that fancy word "technicians"

[duct dr]

Originally posted by mark beiser
Some of the worst no nothing sales tech scham artists I know are NATE certified.

I wonder if the lady in question would accept my RSES CM certification, or if she would insist I dig out my poopy NATE card?

After looking at the NATE and RSES websites, I noticed that RSES is partnered with and endorses NATE, so which is actually better. bottom line is this, cities, counties and states are starting to require the certification. I know guys with 20+ years in the industry that couldn't pass NATE, but I also know some that could ace NATE and couldn't wire a stat or do a simple condensor change out.

[hvaclover]

RSES is partnered with NATE.

RSES has long wanted a body (any body for that matter)
that would be recognized as a certifying authority.

Because of RSES emphasises on quality HVAC education, they saw a good vehicle in NATE.

NATE draws strength and credibility from RSES as well as ACCA endorsement.

It's good to have a nationally recognized cert no matter whose name is on it.

Dec! was just bustin' your chops over RSES.

[electrical journeyman]

I talked to six or seven business owners today - and they said, they wont let anyone work on their equipment unless your NATE certified. Plus, they told me, they're spreading the word, to all business owners and communities - not to hire an HVAC company unless they're NATE certified. It's getting bigger.

[electrical journeyman]

One other thing - I'm a Electrical Lineman and Natural Gas Journeyman, but also do HVAC with my company; but, the RSES thing you speak of, is that a commerical refrigeration exam? Would that apply to residential/light commercial HVAC work also? I doubt I would ever work on that sort-of thing ever in my life - so, would that be necessary for me to take the RSES?

[kmills]

this thread reminds me of my tin-knocker days when i ran circles around the company journeyman card holders... i dread the day that a customer of mine puts any faith at all in some meaningless certificate... (other than my state license)

[referrob]

i have passed the o6a low voltage electrical exam (all it proves is that i can flip through a code book and find answers to questions that do not pertain to my specialty in the trade) ( electricians still dont understand our controls and motor wiring, and they made up this stupid test). i passed the ice exams in trade college with the highest scores ever posted at our school with a 97% aveage score. but i thought the whole time i was taking them that i was going to fail misserably. i passed the refrigerat handelers testing and hold a card for automotive a/c also (open book test(i was very mad that i missed a question). i am a member of ashre. i passed the nate exams with flying colors(again tesed on things that do not really account to much when you get into the field). with all that said for some reason people believe that it makes me a better tech and that i am worth more money with these acredidations. to them i say yeah! to the rest i say time in the field and getting my a*# kicked by problems encountered on the job and learning from my mistakes is what has realy made me worth more. a piece of paper wont make you less of a scam artist but is only a tool to allow you to charge more for your scam.