If you enjoy working with your hands and solving complicated puzzles, a career as an HVAC mechanic or automotive technician may be a good fit. These careers in skilled trades can be learned quickly and provide room for growth and stability in the future. The next question is which type of mechanical career is best for you: HVAC mechanic or automotive technician.
To pursue a career as an HVAC tech or an automotive technician, the minimum education requirement is having a high school diploma for most entry-level positions. In addition, you will have to prove you can perform basic math and write notes about the work you finished or would recommend. A high school diploma should encourage you to pursue an automotive or HVAC technician career.
Most firms like hiring somebody with the training to begin quickly. A good HVAC training program will acquaint you with these two careers’ basics. These courses take as few as ten months to complete them. After graduating from the automotive or HVAC technician program, you should feel confident applying for entry-level roles.
You will continue to learn and grow daily with both of these enterprises. There are certifications available in either enterprise that make it possible to specialize in one area over another or attain new skills that will make you a more valuable worker. In addition, new technology will bring new challenges and opportunities to the automotive and HVAC fields for years to come, creating an outstanding choice to start today!
Automotive technicians and HVAC mechanic have many similar responsibilities and duties. Both are responsible for replacing, repairing, and maintaining equipment. Their similar responsibilities include:
The difference between the two careers is that HVAC mechanics work on ventilation, heating, and air-conditioning equipment in a home or business. In contrast, an automotive technician conducts this work on vehicles in a shop.
While automotive and HVAC technicians work with their hands, the work setting is very different. Of course, both of these careers need to be comfortable with getting your hands dirty, working with power tools, and lifting heavy equipment, but the similarities end there.
HVAC industry work is done primarily outdoors or in unfinished buildings. HVAC technicians are asked to climb up high to reach the system they are working on. Therefore, they require being comfortable using a ladder and being up high. Repairing refrigeration tools is usually done indoors, but that comprises dangerous chemicals that must be disposed of carefully. HVAC technicians repairs may work on call and have the chance to work overtime during peak seasons of extremely cold or hot. Adequately functioning equipment make a massive difference to a restaurant, grocery store, or even a homeowner facing severe temperatures in their home.
Automotive technician programs work primarily indoors in a well-lit shop. They use special equipment to attain parts underneath and may have to crawl under the vehicle or bend in strange ways to see it. Automotive technicians may work long hours, usually within regular business hours, with weekend jobs depending on the shop.
Job Safety
Both jobs need a lot of training on safety, and firms will follow strict safety guidelines to keep their workers safe. Both careers risk possible burns, electrocution, or poisoning if safety protocols are not obeyed. These are taught in automotive trade schools.
HVAC mechanics climb up ladders, sometimes while carrying heavy equipment and power tools. They also deal with hazardous chemicals. The chemicals are so hazardous that the EPA requires special certification for anyone who wishes to purchase or work with refrigerants.
Which technician career path you should select is ultimately up to you. Both these careers allow you to work with your hands, solve problems and help people and acquire an entry-level position in either field in as few as ten months. If a person has always been interested in cars, becoming an automotive technician is best for them. At the same time, a career in HVAC may be better for someone interested in working with HVAC equipment and solving complicated problems associated with HVAC systems.
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