entering the profession

Mike AK

Hey all:

I'm a 35 year-old English teacher out in Iowa, and for various reasons, I'm thinking about changing careers (mostly because the town where my wife got her job doesn't have any of the kinds of jobs I would like). Anyway, I've thought about HVAC as a possibility, and was hoping you might have some advice.

So here's why the possibility appeals to me: I've got a very good mechanical head, I like careful detail work, I like short term tasks that I can see completed (which never happens in teaching!), and I like the idea of working in a field that would let me work on energy efficiency in some way. I'm a good handyman, but am totally inexperienced in the building trades in any professional manner.

And here's my ideal plan: I'd like to work for someone else for a 3-5 years, particularly if I could find a local business that dealt with a lot of old houses. Eventually I'd like to work on my own, focusing on steam and water systems in older houses (there are lot of old systems in the area), and eventually I'd like to learn enough to work with and install solar systems (and since this might take me 10 years, they might be a bit more economically viable by the time I learned!)

And here's my first question: How would you advise me to go about entering the field? Is entrance more often a matter of apprenticeship, or do folks more normally take tech classes and get licenses before they really start working?

Forgive me if my "ideal plan" is unrealistic (and tell me if you think it is). Thanks for your help, and I will post a second message to ask a second question.

Mike

Weezbo

you are into education,there is a definite place in the Work

for educators. Reading is real important. you can take courses at night school. Dan has classes available all over the country in these classes are a heavy dosage of contractors , engineers, people who want to understand the heating system that they have, all at various level of experience. the classes of this nature can open a lot of doors to a future. There are classes given at wholesale plumbing companies of various products. They too, often, have a wide variety of attendants .You could be there and meeting them. when you are enthusiastic about the work... there are always people looking for some help..maybe by placing yourself where the potential employers Are ,will open new horizons for you...you can study , work on your days, read and attend classes at nights, put an ad in the newspaper that you are looking for work..things will come your way...when you get some work, buy another few tools..soon, you have a selection of them and when you show up to get a job, drag them in with you ...instead of wasting time filling out forms ,... just say that you are ready to go to work....and will fill out the papers ,Later *~/:)

Ken D.

The \"Business\"

Google Frank Blau. He is the P/HVAC business guru.

larry_15

How to get into the trade!

Mike :

I can tell you what I did. I was in my early thridies when change came around. I new I had to do something to get into a trade but how? I had the chance to go to school at the local collage for the trade because of the company I was working at. They wanted me to learn refrigeration but that was it, two classes. I saw the value in the classes and continuned to pay for my own education, it took two years part time in school and filling out aps. before I got my frist job in the trade. This was when I was gettting laid off from work every year in the early 90's because I didn't have a skill. During that time I got contacts at the school and form the other student that helped me to get a job and find others when I got laid off.

As My career continued I always have gone to the local comunity collages to see what opportunities in the heating trade were avaibalible. The instructors have always helped me even though I now have an education that is far advance than the residentual market.

larry