What We Learn From HVAC/R Trade School (Podcast)

Schooling undoubtedly gives technicians a leg-up once they got into the field. However, the knowledge you gain isn't all practical. Bookwork is still important for a solid foundation in theory, and it would likely benefit a lot of training programs. Bookwork, like trade school itself, is a good precursor to the hands-on material in the field. It also helps to do your research about classes you need to take and to see if a degree is more advantageous than a certificate or vice versa.

Your education won't end upon getting that certificate or degree. In the field, you will learn something new every day (and not in the air-conditioned classroom!). A lot of your familiarity with tools will come from working in the field. However, in trade school, you will learn best practices that you may not learn from other workers in the field.

When you enter the field, invest in your tools. You will work with classroom equipment, but once you enter the field, you will have to develop your own arsenal of tools—research new tools and set aside part of your paycheck to invest in your toolbox.

In many ways, this is the trade with homework. You have to want to learn to be successful in this field. Every day, you will come across new problems that require more knowledge, and nowadays, you have plenty of access to online sources of information to help you tackle difficult problems.

Well-rounded techs come from a solid education and apprenticeships with competent senior techs.

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