Starting Your Career as a Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician

The demand for well-trained HVAC technicians is constantly increasing in Canada. The reason being, the industry is a necessity in today’s world for maintaining the type of lifestyle and comforts people are accustomed to. The boom in the construction industry is another reason for increasing demand for HVAC technicians. Additionally, the advancement in air-conditioning technology has also led to the significant increase in career prospects in this field. The tools and equipment are getting more sophisticated and advanced. Therefore, this is an exciting time to be a part of this industry.

The HVAC professionals deal with heating, cooling and ventilation in buildings. They help people in ensuring that their living and working environments are comfortable, safe and hassle-free. Their job includes a number of tasks, such as carrying out inspections, interpreting blueprints, installing air-conditioning systems, troubleshooting, repairing and replacing parts or the entire system.

The heating, refrigeration and air conditioning technicians can seek employment with construction companies, manufacturing firms, product design companies, sales and support firms and HVAC service contractors. Not only this, the field also gives a lot of opportunities to work independently.

Starting as an HVAC Technician in Canada

HVAC manufacturing, designing and repairing offers many positions to both trained and untrained workers. But individuals with qualifications, skills and experience may find more advanced and decent paying jobs. A formal training program opens doors to many career opportunities in technical writing, product manual writing, product specification writing and product designing, sales and marketing.

Although the career prospects in this field are bright but job market has gone fiercely competitive. Employers prefer to hire only those professionals who have undergone a formal technical education and training in the areas of design and engineering of heating, cooling and ventilation systems. Therefore, aspiring technicians do need to undergo a formal heating, refrigeration and air conditioning education and training in order to seek a decent paying employment.

Numerous Canadian colleges offer HVAC related programs and certifications. However, the program curriculum and duration may vary greatly. What’s good about longer programs is that they give you ample time to understand the basic HVAC concepts, while allowing you to put your theoretical understanding into practice during internships or apprenticeships. Shorter programs typically do not include apprenticeships, which is a major negative point.

Centennial College’s two-year post-secondary heating, refrigeration and air conditioning course offers the right balance of theoretical and practical knowledge. You acquire broad knowledge of the design, installation, troubleshooting and service techniques of heating and cooling systems. You will also learn to develop refrigerants, select energy efficient equipment and maintain efficiency standards for air-conditioning equipment.

Benefits of HVAC Related Programs

One of the biggest benefits of HVAC-related programs is that you can gain knowledge on both conventional and modern heating, refrigeration and ventilation systems. This will help you sustain in ever-growing and rapidly advancing technological environment. Another advantage is that you’re exposed to diverse career opportunities in the areas of design, writing, sales, service and technical support.

Enrolment Guide

Students who have completed their secondary education are eligible to apply for this program. They can send their applications to the college along with the required supporting, which includes a copy of secondary school diploma certificate and scores in English Grade 12 C or University and Math Grade 11 M or 12 C or University.