Education · 1 of 5
The path
Short training, then years of getting good. You can be earning a full wage before your friends finish a bachelor's degree.
- 1
High school diploma or GED (General Educational Development) test
Grade 12
Math, physics and shop. Some high schools run a heating and cooling program that puts you a year ahead.
- 2
Pick apprenticeship or trade school
6 months to 2 years
A registered apprenticeship pays you from the first day. A community college certificate takes 6 to 24 months and gets you hired faster by companies that want some theory first.
- 3
Get certified to handle refrigerant
A few weeks of study
Federal law requires certification before you can service equipment containing ozone-depleting refrigerants. The test has a core section plus separate parts for small appliances, high-pressure and low-pressure systems.
- 4
Work as a tech
2 to 5 years
Two to five years of installs and service calls until you can diagnose a system without calling someone. This is the part that cannot be shortened.
- 5
State license and voluntary certification
Year 3 onward
Most states license heating and cooling contractors and some license technicians. Add a national skills certification to prove what you can actually do.