WARNING about HVAC trade schools

[supertek65]

welcome!!!!!!!

[icehouse]

I may not be able to help with your essay?
But I can confirm that ICEHOUSE has plenty of experience!
and is also a great guy!

Frank

Thanks from "Shady Pines"

[supertek65]

welcome Bob!

[nick982002]

wolf

WOW!!!!!!!!!

every single comment you made is true!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a job where they told me since I got a 100% on their master mechanic test I would start at journeyman wage!

I worked 90 hours that week at what should have been about $25 an hour????
40 hrs at 25 and 50 hours at 37.50

my first check was for $488!!!!!!!!!!!!
the owner said that training was at minimum wage and no O/T!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had about 12 jobs like that and not to start any union/non union fights!!
I finally got in the union and have been paid for every hour I have worked since!!!!1

IT GETS BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you just summed up my entire 26 year career in one post!

Frank

How does any company take you serious with that many jobs under your belt

[supertek65]

good point!

since usually those crooked contractors and there are millions of them!start screwing you out of pay immediately!!!!

and start screwing you out of hours and overtime immediately!

you only put up with it for a couple weeks and quit!

You never have to put those companies on your resume!!!!!!!!!!!

How does any company take you serious with that many jobs under your belt

[nick982002]

good point!

since usually those crooked contractors and there are millions of them!start screwing you out of pay immediately!!!!

and start screwing you out of hours and overtime immediately!

you only put up with it for a couple weeks and quit!

You never have to put those companies on your resume!!!!!!!!!!!

I was just asking cause some guy ripped on me for having to many employers on my resume.I asked him if he had ever heard of layoffs,he didn't respond to my question.

[supertek65]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I had about 12 jobs in my first 5 years!
Not from layoffs just crooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just erased those 5 years from my resume!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know guys that got on with respectable contractors right out of high school and never left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took a different road!

when i started at my current and last shop, there were 13 journeyman
1 had been there for 30 years
1 for 25
1 for 20
3 from 15-20
and a few for 10 or so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that was all i needed to know, and i will never leave!

I was just asking cause some guy ripped on me for having to many employers on my resume.I asked him if he had ever heard of layoffs,he didn't respond to my question.

[icehouse]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I had about 12 jobs in my first 5 years!
Not from layoffs just crooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just erased those 5 years from my resume!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know guys that got on with respectable contractors right out of high school and never left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took a different road!

when i started at my current and last shop, there were 13 journeyman
1 had been there for 30 years
1 for 25
1 for 20
3 from 15-20
and a few for 10 or so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that was all i needed to know, and i will never leave!

If you did Helen would kick your butt. "Shady Pines"

[supertek65]

good point Bob!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you got an extra cot at shady pines?????????????????

If you did Helen would kick your butt. "Shady Pines"

[Jonathan88]

I was going to ask for someones opinion on my resume if anyone would like to take a look at it and shoot me some advice? That would be awesome

[secorp]

MSNBC did a special on school rip offs it is a several billion dollar industry, the catch is like Wolf said high interest loans that you never pay off. Some people featured in the show were not trade schooling but degrees in engineering at 100,000 to 200,000 a pop. so feel better Wolf 10 grand was indeed a rip off but at least it was not the size of a three bed house. 10 Grand is nothing over your life span let it go and move on. chalk it up as a lifetime experience that you learned from.

I did two four year non union apprenticeships, paid by my employers, sheet metal then HVAC. NEVER PAID A DIME EXEPT FER MY TIME. Like Ice said in a earlier post never say "but in school they taught".......... so if you must do school, apprenticeship union or not is the way to go. I used ABC. Aassociated Bbuilders and Ccontractors google and find your local chapter.

I tell everybody I meet stay away from this trade for most it is a waste.

[Eeyess]

Ran into this post and can relate to this. Im new to the field still in school but what wolf posted holds true in just about any market. Havent had many jobs cause always stayed awhile but it goes all the way. Companies seem to get cheaper and give less for hard work and to the consumer. Anyway you look at it though hard work pays off in the end and education and experience can never be taken away.

[crazy eye]

I went to RSI in Phoenix at 2003 . When I was still in school ,I ride along with the owner of a small company without pay just to learn as much as I can .After I graduated from school , He pay me $12.50 an hour which is way below average .But he willing to teach me everything . I end up work for him for more than a year . After that I did subcontract work for three years ,got the license and have my own company . I am just a one man show ,makes pretty good money .

[hvacdoctor]

I went to a trade school after completing college and getting my BA. I worked part time in my younger years for a hack and wanted to learn the business and trade the right way. I had prior sales experience so when I finished trade school, got hired to sell. I faked it until I made it for about 5 years and bounced around a few companies. I landed with a well known estabilished union company who game me a shot and it payed off. The challenge of knowing every aspect in this trade and servicing the customer the right way is a simple formula! The Low price game is just not worth the head aches and customers who buy from low bid only are not my type of customer! This is the biggest challenge in todays market, justifying your price and giving great service all the time!

[ahiggins91]

I got pretty lucky. After high school, I went to community college for a year for journalism, failed out, moved back home. I started working with my dad who owns a successful small commercial refrigeration business. I decided it was what I wanted to do, so I became his apprentice. I also paid 400 bucks to get a 'career diploma' from an online college. They sent me some starter tools, books, and lesson plans and I used them to suppliment my on the job training. Right now I only get paid $10.75 an hour, but I'm fine with that knowing I'm helping out the family business and I'll get raises when we can afford it and I show my abilities and whatnot. I'm hoping on taking over the company in the future.

[crab master]

Good for you, good luck to you. Make sure you get your EPA and any other licenses you can get.

[Pattch]

I am new to the industry. I went to a local technical school and paid about 10k out of my pocket. The majority of the students were on a GI bill, unemployment, or ex-cons learning a trade. I was lucky to have common sense and a mechanical ability, unlike most of the students. They thought the school was going to teach them that. Your only going to get what you put in to the school.

I was hired out of school at a local Hospital for more $ then most companies were offering at the time. The school taught me the basics and I have learned so much more on the job. I was told if it Suck, Blows, Heats or Cools I am responsible for it and I love my job and the industry.

[icehouse]

I am new to the industry. I went to a local technical school and paid about 10k out of my pocket. The majority of the students were on a GI bill, unemployment, or ex-cons learning a trade. I was lucky to have common sense and a mechanical ability, unlike most of the students. They thought the school was going to teach them that. Your only going to get what you put in to the school.

I was hired out of school at a local Hospital for more $ then most companies were offering at the time. The school taught me the basics and I have learned so much more on the job. I was told if it Suck, Blows, Heats or Cools I am responsible for it and I love my job and the industry.

Looks like you did this.

[Coalman]

I am new to the industry. I went to a local technical school and paid about 10k out of my pocket. The majority of the students were on a GI bill, unemployment, or ex-cons learning a trade. I was lucky to have common sense and a mechanical ability, unlike most of the students. They thought the school was going to teach them that. Your only going to get what you put in to the school.

I was hired out of school at a local Hospital for more $ then most companies were offering at the time. The school taught me the basics and I have learned so much more on the job. I was told if it Suck, Blows, Heats or Cools I am responsible for it and I love my job and the industry.

Didn't realize I was in such an elite group! ...Serving my country or unemployed or ex-con...?
Guess I should be proud...
Sorry that the one's on the GI bill are taking up class space.

[derk6986]

I am a student at a public trade school in SC. My over all cost of school was over 14 thousand I believe. Really not worried about it since it didn’t come out of my pocket, the state paid for it and I do not have to pay it back not one cent. The teachers I have are not there to just collect money they are involved in our learning. Its to the point to where they will stay long after class is over and not getting paid anymore to make sure we understand these systems. The teachers from day one emphasized that the learning never stops and advised us to continue taking workshops to stay current with tomorrows technology. They make sure our labs stays stocked with parts and supplies so what ever we need to work on its there for us. And yes I said labs. They are always bring in new equipment and new technology so we can stay up to date on what’s happening in our field. (ex: trane just delivered a brand new indoor unit hyperion I think.) We are not all stuck on just a few units either we have more units than students. I consider my self lucky to have such involved and devoted teachers in the HVAC program.