Young students are graduating around the USA right now and making decisions toward their career choices. This was the perfect time for the North Park Innovations team to ask technicians and business owners to tell us why HVAC/R (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) is a great career choice.
We heard an overwhelming theme, well stated by William Carman, from Action Electrical & Mechanical Contractors in Carrollton, Georgia:
“The HVAC industry is ever changing. Great minds all around the world coming together to create, innovate, and solve one of the most basic, but yet, sought after human wants: comfort. A career in HVAC has given me the satisfaction of bringing comfort to people from family homes, to restaurants, to hospitals. Having the opportunity to work on equipment ranging from residential split systems, to ice machines, to controls and chillers, has brought a great sense of accomplishment, but most importantly, joy. And at the end of the day, there’s no better feeling than the joy of accomplishments!”
Barry Valentine from Metropolitan Heating & Air in San Marco, California tells an amazing story of his career path from driver to business owner and instructor:
“HVAC/R is a great career choice because of the many directions you can take, all of which pay great and are solid careers anywhere in the USA. I started as a driver for an HVAC company in San Diego almost 40 year ago and since then I have been a service technician, service manager, project sales, maintenance sales, service general manager, and now owner of my own company for the last 12 years and an HVAC instructor at Palomar Community College at nights, training the next generation of field service techs.”
This is echoed by Robert Lemos, of Apollo Mechanical in Richland, Washington
“I’ve been doing service for 23 years, each day has been challenging and enjoyable at the same time. We are a big mechanical company we enlist our apprentices in the Sheetmetal union hall for training. It’s awesome to teach with the iConnect Training Unit TU-106, and the iManifold is a huge help with identifying pressure temp/correlation. Now it’s my turn to pay it back with the younger generation. Let’s do this!!”
Sam Brookover from Williamstown, WV has this to say about why HVAC/R is a great career field: “HVAC and refrigeration is the most rewarding work in the world. Helping people and society by using technology and skills learned over a life time. Now I’m an instructor at the career center and I pass on life experiences to new folk coming into the field. Amazing. iManifold and all the new technology gives us a chance to get it right. As old school, I can really appreciate what this equipment is doing for the industry.”
Dino Vergura at Affordable HVAC & Custom Home Services in Corona, CA told us this about the HVAC/R career: “HVAC/R is a constantly growing industry in the private and commercial sectors. From residential heating and cooling, to medical grade indoor air quality and clean rooms, to refrigerated server rooms for large computers and data centers – it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. While many industries are being taken over by robotics and computers, HVAC/R will be in demand for years to come.”
Danny Strong at D & D Services, Inc. in Griffin, GA states: “I love this field because of the challenges. HVAC/R is always changing. The technology is evolving at a dizzying pace. I love the ability to have a job that each call can be totally different, where I have a job that demands the very best technology and knowledge to get the most out of a customers system. I chose tech school while in high school and am very happy I did. After several years, I went into business for my self. Very few other career choices allows you to take your drive and make something out of it. The field of HVAC/R will always have a huge demand. I grew up in a house with no A/C. The cars we drove had 55 A/C. Now you will never go into a home or business that does not have conditioned air. And the demand for refrigeration tech is growing so fast that the only limiting factor is the supply of people wanting to get into this field. I LOVE what I do!”
Danny has the help of iManifold, saying: “I started out when you had a set of analog gauges and a strap on thermometer to use to try to get the best performance out of a system. Now I have mostly electronic gauges that assist me in knowing what is going on with a system. I was talking with a tech about the gauges I use and told him that being an older tech I am glad I can limit having to go up and down a ladder to see what is going on with my system. I just get out my cell phone and there is the info I need. At the end of the repairs I can show the customer proof that the repair is saving them money by the info I have available to them. We do a lot of manufacture warranty work and I have picked up several great customers over the years when I get out my equipment and they see the investment I have made. They know right away that I am serious about helping them get the unit running at it’s best.”
Chris Arseneault at Techni-Craft Equipment Services in Westbank, British Columbia Canada tells us: “After serving in the military for 21 years as a chef, I thought it would be interesting to work on the other side of the Walk-in Cooler. After a few years repairing coffee equipment and getting basic trouble shooting skills, I enrolled into an apprenticeship program into the HVAC/R trade. I learned very quickly that we never stop learning in the trade. With new challenges every day which keeps my brain working, which keeps me young. That is the best thing about the trade.”
Jose Cruz at MAC in Miami, FL explains: “It gives me the opportunity to always be empowered by servicing, replacing, repairing equipment. It is a hard work but it is very satisfying when what you do you did it the right way.”
To do things the right way, Jose has some help saying: “The iManifold will bring the cutting edge in this industry and since time is money I will be able to generate more services in less time. Thanks.”
This is why the entire team at North Park Innovations is so excited to be providing iConnect Training Units and iManifold technology to the HVAC/R industry for the future!