Hot Jobs & Cool Careers
Careers in the Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
Industry
The mall you hang out at is not only "cool", but comfortably cool in temperature. Do you like your bottled water, your soda, or your milk chilled? Those Lean PocketsTM you pop into the microwave came out of the freezer, right? That comfortable mall, the chilled drink, and the frozen convenience food exist because of an industry that has some of the hottest jobs (read, "high demand") and cool careers: the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration industry.
The equipment that is used to refrigerate products, from foods to semiconductors, and to provide comfortable environments, from homes to high-rise buildings, is designed by Mechanical Engineers, Computer Aided Draftspersons, and Technicians cooperating as a team. The engineers are trained in college/university settings. The CAD Operators and Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technicians are usually trained in junior colleges or technical training schools.
To ensure that the systems and equipment are installed correctly and safely, trained and experienced personnel are required. Pipefitting, sheet metal working, and controls/electrical are some of the skills and knowledge that installers must possess. Start-up technicians complete the necessary procedures that help the systems operate at the specified and optimum conditions.
Service Technicians use their diverse knowledge of electrical components, motors, controls, airflow, piping design, thermodynamics, and refrigeration systems to troubleshoot and repair equipment and systems. Also, customer relations skills are valued in all these positions.
One particularly hot area of interest in the industry is that of IAQ (Indoor Air Quality). With the growing awareness of black mold and "sick building" problems, trained people are needed to test, evaluate, and remediate situations that are harmful to the occupants. This part of the industry will be of special interest to those interested in biology and chemistry.
Whether it is controlling a building's environment or maintaining food and drink temperatures, there are lots of hot jobs and cool careers in the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration industry.
Provided by Terry Robinson, HVAC Instructor, Lincoln Technical Institute, Grand Prairie, TX.
