Becoming an air conditioning repair professional can be a lucrative career choice but there are steps that must taken to accomplish this goal. The first step is to have a high school diploma or its equivalent. After high school, you should enroll and start taking classes at a trade school or community college. You may be able to secure employment with a company that specializes in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and get on-the-job training from a professional that repairs these systems. This is also called an apprenticeship.
Generally, it can take less than two years of schooling at a vocational school to learn air conditioning repair. In some high schools, you may be able to attend a vocational school for half of the school day to learn this trade. Many of the trade school and community colleges offer job placement services. In addition to learning air conditioning repair, you may also have the opportunity to take classes in auto air conditioning repair and refrigerator repair. All of these systems are very similar in operation. Once you have learned the theory it is just a matter of applying that theory to other types of cooling units. This will give you more options when choosing where you want to work.
Although the theory is basically the same the practical application of that theory may not be similar. This is why it benefits to take classes. Whether it is an auto air conditioner, building or residential air conditioner, or refrigerator, accessing certain parts in the unit may be more difficult. One of the values in taking classes is that you will get practical experience working with the different units in different situations. All of this is done under the supervision of a qualified teacher.
If you join a branch of the military most will teach the soldiers a trade although some may devote almost all of their training to techniques in combat. Learning a trade is one of the benefits of joining the military. After getting out of the military, you may also qualify for additional money to continue your education.
If you want to forgo the classes and just enter the workplace as an air conditioning repair professional you will need to find a HVAC company that is willing to hire someone with no experience. This can be difficult because most companies will have to take their time to train you before they can see a return on their investment, which is you.. If you have any mechanical repair experience stress that to your prospective employer.
There is no best route to establish a career in air conditioning repair. How it is accomplished is up to the individual. If you cannot find an apprenticeship, you may need to take classes.