Should You Find an Area of Specialization for HVAC?
As you begin the journey toward your career as an HVAC technician, finding an area of specialization is one early key to finding success.
To be sure, if you choose installation as your specialty in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, it obviously doesn’t mean you won’t be studying or performing maintenance and repair. On the contrary, as a technician, you will need to have a well-rounded body of work and an ability to be cross-functional in a variety of areas.
But it is important as a professional HVAC tech to have an area in which you have a special amount of knowledge and experience in order to give yourself a way to stand out from the crowd.
Do you want to specialize in heating or cooling systems? It may be wise, to have a solid skill level in both. Are you doing commercial or residential? Do you want to work with oil-burning units, solar panels, or commercial refrigerators?
The main takeaway from your specialty area is that it is something you put additional effort into learning more about. As you find your first jobs, which often will be at smaller companies who will need you to perform a larger range of duties, or you may find yourself working repeatedly on one or two problematic units, and your specialty area may just kind of happen on its own.
The HVAC technician(s) you apprentice under may help you in that area as well, so consult them as you make your decision. You may choose to specialize in the same area that your mentor does, or perhaps you will set out on your own with specialization, though that may make for a more difficult learning environment.
Keep in mind the future of the industry, which at this moment seems to be alternative methods of power. Solar energy may be a good area of specialty as more emphasis is placed on so-called “green” initiatives that use energy methods generated in a more environmentally-friendly manner.
Where you work may also make a difference, particularly on the commercial side. Hospitals and medical facilities, for example, will have different needs than, say, a supermarket chain, office building, or manufacturing plant.
Being prepared, and being armed with plenty of solid information, is the key to making an informed decision. Be sure you educate yourself as much as possible, and consult a variety of sources before committing. Choosing an area of emphasis will affect your career in HVAC profoundly; choose wisely and you could be setting yourself up for years to come. Make a poor decision, and you could find yourself struggling with a lack of work, meaning you may have to specialize in a different area.
To learn more about Ayers Career College’s HVAC program, contact us today or call us at 1-800-317-0131.
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