More Opportunities, Less Debt: Why HVAC Careers Are Popular
This summer, Chris Coyle is celebrating his fifth year at Broadley’s Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning in Marmora, NJ. It’s a different path than the 25-year-old service technician envisioned for himself when he graduated high school, but it’s the one he’s sure is for him.
And, it’s a choice that we’re celebrating nationally this month.
June 22 is National HVAC Tech Day. That’s when heating and cooling companies across the country recognize their hard-working employees. That includes their seasoned employees and the younger ones like Coyle, who’ve broken away from the traditional track for young adults.
An Alternative To College
Like most kids, Coyle started at a traditional university in the autumn after high school. But he wouldn’t stay there long.
“I knew right away it wasn’t for me,” he said. “I didn’t want to be doing homework for the next four years. I like working with my hands. It’s just the kind of person I am.”
So, he abandoned his criminal justice studies to enroll at Pennco Tech in Blackwood, NJ. His father was also in the trades, and when Coyle got to his new school, he learned that HVAC was a growing field that promised a solid paycheck.
In a fraction of the time it would have taken him to get that bachelor’s degree, Coyle was already working as a service technician at Broadley’s.
“I went into it with an open mind, and I really liked it,” he recalled. “I’m happy I got into this trade.”
An In-Demand Field
Coyle is part of a growing movement in the workforce today. Instead of pursuing a four-year or even an associate’s degree, more and more young people are going into various trades and blue-collar jobs.
For years, trade businesses have struggled to find the workers they need as older employees retire. Now, as the economy re-opens, there are even more openings than people filling those positions.
“Demand for work has increased since the pandemic began,” explained Michele Gillian, the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce executive director. “Many people were home and finally had the time to do improvements. This has led to an increase in work for the trade fields.
“Due to the increase in home improvements, there is an increase in job opportunities.”
The chamber counts many essential businesses, particularly plumbing and HVAC, among its 525 members. Already this year, the group has emailed employment opportunities from local companies to 150,000 prospective employees.
“There will always be jobs in the trade industries, and they are usually well-paying positions,” Gillian continued. “The trades are essential businesses, and society is dependent on them.
According to Denise Hartman, director of career services at the Pennco Tech campus in Blackwood, HVAC is booming with opportunities.
“We just had a class of 55 graduates, and 75 percent of them had jobs lined up before they completed the program,” she said.
Places like Pennco Tech are an attractive alternative to traditional four-year colleges. The courses in fields including HVAC, plumbing, electrical or automotive are only a year long. And, students leave with all the information and certifications they need to start their careers.
They also leave with far less in student loan debt than their peers pursuing four-year degrees.
Meanwhile, the curriculum is always up to date: To maintain accreditation, Hartman noted, the school is partnered with local companies in those industries that review the courses every six months to ensure they’re in line with current industry standards,
Hartman and the staff go beyond the technical side of things. Along with connecting students with the companies they partner with, the school helps with networking and hosts two career fairs every year. They also assist with creating resumes and navigating online applications.
“When students are ready to look for work, we connect them with employers,” she said.
Bright Futures
Coyle was one of those students who transitioned quickly from school to the workforce. When Broadley’s reached out to Pennco Tech, Hartman’s team connected them with Coyle.
As a new service technician, Coyle quickly found that a company with a sizable staff and long track record in the area meant they had many resources available to him as he learned more about the trade.
“When you first get into the field, especially at a young age, the company you’re working for likes to teach you their way of doing things,” he said. “You end up taking school with a grain of salt and learn as you get your hands dirty.”
He started off picking up practical, day-to-day knowledge such as using different tools and working within various safety precautions. And, as he worked, he was able to think about his work in terms of a career, not just the next job he’d go on.
“The more I learned about the industry, the more I knew which way I wanted to go,” he said. Now, he’s got his eyes set on moving into commercial and refrigeration work at Broadley’s.
“There’s more thinking involved in that. I like getting to pick my brain up a bit. And, there are plenty of opportunities for that here.”
And, he contrasts that with friends who recently wrapped up their bachelor’s degrees. By that time, Coyle had been in the workforce for four years.
“They’re thousands in debt where I’m almost debt-free, and I’d say I’m doing pretty well,” he said. “The support I got, and the great people I met here, was huge.”