Tennessee technical and vocational schools offer campus-based and online training programs for those who want to practice the heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration vocations. Many in-state HVAC mechanics receive substantial raises following their apprenticeships.
Tennessee HVAC Trade Schools Launch Careers
by Gabby Hyman
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics work year-round in Tennessee, where residential, commercial, and industrial clients rely on skilled technical workers to keep them comfortable and productive. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts faster than average growth for jobs in the HVAC vocations, and professionals with training from an accredited technical school will find excellent job prospects through the year 2014.
In Tennessee, you can receive technical and vocational training at colleges and trade schools that can help launch your HVAC career in just over a year. One Memphis technical school, for example, offers a 60-week program combining classroom theory with hands-on lab work. Graduates of the course emerge from their vocational training with a diploma in heating, air conditioning and refrigeration technology.
Cracking the Books on HVAC Technical Procedures
Students can expect to master HVAC fundamentals through a wide range of coursework focusing on the theoretical applications of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Basic practical skill sets in installation, diagnostics, and repair in a broad range of equipment are also part of the coursework.
Many programs offer vocational and technical training electrical theory, compressor technology, refrigeration fundamentals (freezers, walk-in boxes, ice-making equipment, central air conditioning), blueprint reading, technical specification writing, mechanical motors, hydronics, furnaces (electric, oil, gas, and solid-fuel), refrigerants (chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and hydrofluorocarbon), and the use of repair tools.
Many graduates of Tennessee HVAC technical training programs accept apprenticeships or internships with plumbing, pipefitting, construction, mechanical contracting, and skilled trade organizations. Entry-level HVAC jobs offered to new grads can involve work under direct supervision of a licensed HVAC contractor.
To become a licensed contractor in Tennessee, you're required to pass the state business and law exam in addition to an HVAC trade exam. Registration costs $25, with an additional $150 fee for testing and receiving your license.
Salaries for Tennessee HVAC Technicians
According to Salary.com, entry-level HVAC mechanics earn a base salary of between $27,197 and $48,116 in Memphis; between $26,005 and $46,009 in Knoxville; and from $26,771 to $47,364 in Nashville.
After several years of experience, HVAC technicians' and mechanics' annual salaries can increase by as much as $14,000 in several Tennessee cities. Salary.com reports base salary ranges of HVAC II mechanics from $45,231 to $57,570 in Memphis; from $43,721 to $55,647 in Knoxville; and between $43,974 and $55,970 in Nashville.
Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Salary.com
About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.