Looking for my first job.

[HVAC-PA-]

Ok...well enough.

Make some calls, and ask to speak with the owner or manager. Say hi, my name is so & so, I just graduated from so & so in so & so. I was wondering if your shop is looking for an apprentice?

This is what I did 20 years ago, after getting an Assoc. degree in Environmental Systems Technology.

Worked for some real buttheads too until I found a good employer. Never burned any bridges though.

Thats good advice, I guess I will just have to keep doing research and make some calls. Thanks.

[fcs]

I don't mean to beat the same point but your a new grad with no experience, In a bad economy. You might think we don't understand but we were there.


Maybe you get lucky and find a job meeting your requirements.

The Best thing I did starting out was to look for the job that taught the most and, those are often jobs that leaves you with less then desirable, Task Hours and Work Setting.

Warning if you came in a said you couldn't or would due tight spaces I would NOT hire you unless you had a great and I mean great back ground and a strong work history.

Due your time and you'll move up faster.

Good luck

Again Don't Take this as a criticizeing but food for though

[HVAC-PA-]

I don't mean to beat the same point but your a new grad with no experience, In a bad economy. You might think we don't understand but we were there.


Maybe you get lucky and find a job meeting your requirements.

The Best thing I did starting out was to look for the job the taught the most and those are often jobs that leaves you with less then desire task.

Due your time and you'll move up faster.

Good luck

I realize I won't get the job I want at first, but I want a job where I can at least spend most of my time standing up while I work. But I really do want a job where I can learn the most.

[fcs]

Again If you look at the ADA Form most employer's will make you sign it will say something like, prolonged period of bending standing and squating....able to work in confined spaces.


You might consider Getting a BS in ME OR MET so you can not have the physical demands of field work


Food for thought

[HVAC-PA-]

Again If you look at the ADA Form most employer's will make you sign it will say something like, prolonged period of bending standing and squating....able to work in confined spaces.


You might consider Getting a BS in ME OR MET so you can not have the physical demands of field work


Food for thought

BS requires too much math and I will be able to bear the physical demands as long as I don't work in residential.

[yellowirenut]

i think you have a false idea of commercial / industrial work..its not all rooftop units and air handlers you can walk up to. I have been called a rafter rat many times because the time i spend in the rafters of different types of buildings from large factories to small offices..crouched over in odd shapes.

I think we could help you better if we knew what type of work you are expecting and we could direct you better

[HVAC-PA-]

i think you have a false idea of commercial / industrial work..its not all rooftop units and air handlers you can walk up to. I have been called a rafter rat many times because the time i spend in the rafters of different types of buildings from large factories to small offices..crouched over in odd shapes.

I think we could help you better if we knew what type of work you are expecting and we could direct you better

What job can I do in the commercial field where I don't have to spend most of my time jammed into a really small space?

[mustardman]

I realize I won't get the job I want at first, but I want a job where I can at least spend most of my time standing up while I work. But I really do want a job where I can learn the most.

This field is not for you then. Simple as that. I work on 80 percent chillers and some rooftop units and guess what its up down and all around all day long. You seem to have not thought this through very well sounds to me you need an office job

[ascj]

What job can I do in the commercial field where I don't have to spend most of my time jammed into a really small space?

Residential or commercial, you still have to deal with tight spaces. We have some 9.6mbtu heaters that you have to squeeze through a 18"x24" open to get to the burners to clean.

Anyway, if you really want to do this line of work, send me you info and I might be able to point ya to some companies in North Jersey.

[fcs]

In-house Maint-HVAC-R, Manufacturing, any type Commercial work you still are in small spaces. Yes most of the time it not like resident where you can spend most of your day in it.

Warning thought you stated you didn't let being bent over it will get you dizzy. Working in HVAC-R You spend a great deal of time bent over its just the nature of the job.

You might Think of working a Supply House for experience and a chance to get your name out and MOST of all to talk to guys in field on a daily and hear what their day is like.

[cmajerus]

What job can I do in the commercial field where I don't have to spend most of my time jammed into a really small space?

filter changer

[SoCalHVAC]

What job can I do in the commercial field where I don't have to spend most of my time jammed into a really small space?

Controls. But we still get into some tight spots from time to time.

I understand that you are new to the industry, but it seems that you have been mislead as to the nature of work, and variety of HVAC equipment that we all come across on a daily basis.

HVAC equipment, whether large or small, tends to be located out of site of those in the conditioned space so that it goes unnoticed by the occupants. If you want to fix it when it's broken, then you need to strap on your tools, bend over, and crawl your butt in there and fix it. Especially as a rookie.

Or you can go back to school, stop whining about math, and become an engineer. That way you can work in the office, and you'll have the added benefit of never having to take responsibility of a poorly designed system.

[HVAC-PA-]

This field is not for you then. Simple as that. I work on 80 percent chillers and some rooftop units and guess what its up down and all around all day long. You seem to have not thought this through very well sounds to me you need an office job

If I have to be bent over at 90 degrees all day long then I guess your right. But I wonder how all the people I saw in my class will get a job? Many of those guys were very big or over the age of 45, not exactly the contortions type. Maybe viewing the type of people that were in my school mislead me.

[HVAC-PA-]

Residential or commercial, you still have to deal with tight spaces. We have some 9.6mbtu heaters that you have to squeeze through a 18"x24" open to get to the burners to clean.

Anyway, if you really want to do this line of work, send me you info and I might be able to point ya to some companies in North Jersey.

Well I can deal with tight spaces, but the main concern is being bent over in a crawl space all day.

[HVAC-PA-]

Controls. But we still get into some tight spots from time to time.

I understand that you are new to the industry, but it seems that you have been mislead as to the nature of work, and variety of HVAC equipment that we all come across on a daily basis.

HVAC equipment, whether large or small, tends to be located out of site of those in the conditioned space so that it goes unnoticed by the occupants. If you want to fix it when it's broken, then you need to strap on your tools, bend over, and crawl your butt in there and fix it. Especially as a rookie.

Or you can go back to school, stop whining about math, and become an engineer. That way you can work in the office, and you'll have the added benefit of never having to take responsibility of a poorly designed system.

Controls sounds interesting, I always enjoyed wiring things up. You know it's really easy to say I am whining about math but complex math is actually very challenging for me. I always had problems with the more advanced math.

[SoCalHVAC]

Controls sounds interesting, I always enjoyed wiring things up. You know it's really easy to say I am whining about math but complex math is actually very challenging for me. I always had problems with the more advanced math.

Wiring things up is not controls, and it is definitely interesting. I recommend looking into it.

I understand that advanced math is a challenge, but this makes me think of a couple of things.

1. If its not a challenge, its not worth doing, and won't make you better.

2. Troubleshooting a complicated chiller problem, or refrigeration circuit, or any number of other possible situations that we deal with every day is just as challenging, if not more so, than an advanced math class in college.

The type of HVAC equipment that is not found in attics and crawl spaces is often extremely challenging, and requires the same analytical thought process as advanced math. You may want to stick with residential, but even there you will be put to the test.

[comfortdoc]

contact local 9 Fitters in N Jersey. They may be able to srt you up with ride-longs with companies looking for apprentices. They can also tell you when the next apprentice class starts.

http://www.ualocal9.org/

Goodluck getting started

[HVAC-PA-]

contact local 9 Fitters in N Jersey. They may be able to srt you up with ride-longs with companies looking for apprentices. They can also tell you when the next apprentice class starts.

http://www.ualocal9.org/

Goodluck getting started

Thanks for this information, that is extremely useful.

[echo20]

qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq

[Tech Rob]

Get out of the bizness now it sucks!!!!!

Spoken like someone in his 15th year of apprenticeship.