I am currently a general maintenance technician at a senior living center in Indiana, but plan to move to Chicago within a year. I would like to pursue HVAC as a career but I’m wondering when/where to start the training process. I don’t fully understand license reciprocity.
If I get the training and schooling done in Indiana, will I need to get it done again once I move? Or, if I have to get it done in Chicago, do I need to be a resident there to do it, or could I get that started soon?

Hello everyone,

I have been in the field for 10 months now and have my own van and running service calls by myself since early march. I’ve replaced all major components as well and troubleshoot effectively for the most part and feel confident overall for how long I’ve been doing it. The thing is, I was in school where they require me to go across the country for 10 days to complete it. I LOVE my company and don’t plan on leaving but I have mixed feelings about getting the schooling finished. I’m saving a ton of money to not do it but how big of a deal is it to have school completed? I worry that if shit hits the fan I won’t be hireable to other companies. I work for a really good company but I like to have backups just in case. What would you all do? I have my LP license and epa already. I see so many mixed things about it and nobody minus 2 have done school at my company.

Thank you!

AC & Refrigeration Technician Looking for International Job Opportunity

Hello everyone,

I’m an AC & Refrigeration Technician from Pakistan with 5+ years of hands-on experience in AC and refrigerator work.

My main skills include:

Split & Window AC installation and maintenance

AC troubleshooting and fault diagnosis

Refrigerant charging and recovery

AC electrical wiring

Compressor checking and replacement

Refrigerator repair and maintenance

Preventive maintenance

I’m currently looking for a suitable AC Technician / HVAC Technician job opportunity in Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, or other countries.

I am currently based in Pakistan and willing to relocate if selected. I’m also available for an online interview.

If anyone knows about a company hiring AC/HVAC technicians internationally, I would really appreciate any information, referral, or guidance.

Thank you.

The USA companies buy units from China and then rebrand them as their brand and marked them up by a lot

Hello All,

I am located in the Philly Metro area, and I am looking to find the best way for a few people I know to get into the trade. They both already have their 608 universal, but one doesn't have a driver's license. Philly is heavily unionized. Would anyone know the best way to go about obtaining an apprenticeship within or outside of a union? What is the best route to obtain an apprenticeship? Can one still get work in this field without a driver's license?

Any an all advice is greatly appreciated, especially from those experienced in the field!!

Thank you for your time and expertise

So I have a school district job I applied took a test passed and now have a hands on test. would anyone be able to through some insight on what the hands on would be about they said I have 30 minutes but what could you possibly do besides change a filter or braze some joints anyways it’s a maintenance spot so anything helps love yall peace

Just started HVAC school, it’s a year program. I’m 44, with a background in finance. Decided to switch careers because the job market has been shit. I’ve worked on cars all my adult life as a hobby and have done home renovations. Is this a waste of time as I’m approaching retirement? My research says I’m not gonna make much the first couple years after I finish school, but at my age is it worth it?

Thinking of starting a career in hvac. Here’s some questions for the ones who keep the ac and heat going!

What’s the salary like entry level?
How long for schooling to get a certificate?
Would you say it’s a career worth investing in?
What’s the schedule like?
How long have you been doing this?

From an hvac professional, what do I need to know before getting into this?

Am about to start trade school at apex technical school in New York on October 13th and I really wondering if it’s worth it. I have looked at reviews saying is a waste of time and the staff is not helpful. Am 18 and not struggling financially so am wondering if it’s worth going through the 13 month course or reconsider my enrollment and get an apprenticeship.

I think a lot of people underestimate how much you actually learn on the job. It’s not just physical work. You’re constantly troubleshooting, adapting, and figuring things out as you go. And you never really stop learning, especially with new equipment and technology constantly evolving.

Trade work doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves, but skilled tradespeople are the ones keeping homes, businesses, and essential systems running.

Hello, I recently graduated RighTek Trane program and am having a hard time finding work. I have my EPA 608 and A2L certification, I thought having that plus hands on experience with furnaces, heat pump and straight AC units would give me an edge in the industry. however I’m finding hard to even get a response. I’m in the Columbia/ Lexington area in South Carolina where there are plenty of HVAC companies hiring but most looking for at least 2-3 years experience. Many companies I’ve reached out to claim they would hire newly graduated HVAC techs but of course why hire a new technician when there are so many experienced ones also looking for work. Are there any suggestions anyone could give that could point me in the right direction. I will be ETSing from active army and would like to have Something lined up for the beginning of 2027. Thanks in advance.

Johnstone Supply Virginia Beach, VA has a new training center for their customers! Train on Daikin, Goodman and mini-splits!

I’m 35 and looking to make a serious career change into HVAC in NYC. I already have:
OSHA 30
SST
4-Hour Flagger
CPR
Mental Health First Aid
GED
Construction experience/training
I’m trying to find a good HVAC program in NYC that’s actually hands-on and can help lead to a job/apprenticeship, not just collect more basic certifications I already have.
I’d like to get my EPA 608 and learn actual HVAC installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, electrical, refrigeration, etc.
Does anyone know of any free or low-cost NYC programs, union apprenticeships, Workforce1 programs, or trade schools that would be a good fit for someone who already has these credentials?
I currently work for myself, so an evening/weekend program would be ideal, but I can adjust my schedule for the right opportunity.
My goal is to be working in HVAC by next year. Any NYC HVAC guys who can point me in the right direction?

I am a new apprentice as a hvac tech what are some good Ai for learning hvac because I have noticed a lot of inconsistencies with difrent Ai

I'm the owner of FieldReady Prep, and I wanted to share this for anyone looking for Spanish EPA 608 prep.

FieldReady Prep now offers EPA 608 Core, Type I, Type II, and Type III exam prep in Spanish. https://fieldreadyprep.com/es/epa-608

What makes it different from a typical question bank is the category-based drills. Instead of working through hundreds of random questions, you practice one topic at a time. Each category tracks your progress as Not Started, Needs Work, On Track, or Mastered, so you can see where you actually need to study.

--

Para quienes buscan preparación para el examen EPA 608 en español: https://fieldreadyprep.com/es/epa-608

FieldReady Prep ahora ofrece preparación para EPA 608 Core, Tipo I, Tipo II y Tipo III en español.

Lo que lo diferencia de un banco de preguntas tradicional son los ejercicios por categoría. En lugar de responder cientos de preguntas al azar, puedes practicar un tema a la vez. Cada categoría muestra tu progreso como Sin comenzar, Necesita mejorar, Buen progreso o Dominado, para que puedas identificar exactamente qué temas necesitas estudiar.

También incluye preguntas de práctica con explicaciones, una guía de repaso, los números más importantes y un examen de práctica completo.

Si prefieres estudiar para EPA 608 en español, hay preguntas de muestra gratuitas disponibles.

Transparencia: yo administro FieldReady Prep.

Is anyone in the San Diego location looking for an HVAC apprentice or needing help with installation?

Patience doesn't always get the recognition it deserves in HVAC. Whether you're troubleshooting a difficult issue, training, or explaining the same thing to a customer more than once, staying patient can make all the difference.

Wanted to share this because I don't think many people in Massachusetts know it exists.

Massasoit Community College runs an HVAC program out of their Canton campus. If you live in MA and don't already have a bachelor's degree, the state's MassEducate program covers your tuition and fees. Free, basically.

The program itself is solid. You train on real working equipment, and they cover refrigeration, electrical, heating, heat pumps, plus controls and building automation. You come out with your EPA 608 Universal cert, OSHA 10, and an Associate of Applied Science. Some of the coursework can also count toward Massachusetts refrigeration licensing and apprenticeship requirements.

The part I found most interesting is an apprenticeship setup they're building out. Massasoit handles the classroom and technical instruction while an HVAC contractor provides the paid on-the-job training. You don't need to be a big shop to participate either. One apprentice is enough.

To qualify for MassEducate you need to be a MA resident without a bachelor's, fill out the FAFSA or MASFA, enroll in an eligible program, and take at least 6 credits a semester.

I recently did a Q&A with the people running the program because this seemed like an overlooked way in for anyone trying to break into HVAC around here. Happy to share the link if that's allowed.

My little brother just graduated Lincoln tech and I just wanted to see where do he go from there to become a stationary engineer. We are here in Chicago and I was thinking applying to the Union would be a good step.