What they do
Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.
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Also called: |
A/C Tech (Air Conditioning Technician), HVAC Installer (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Installer), HVAC Mechanic (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Mechanic), HVAC Service Tech (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Service Technician), HVAC Specialist (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Specialist), HVAC Tech (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Technician), Refrigeration Mechanic, Refrigeration Operator, Refrigeration Technician (Refrigeration Tech), Service Technician (Service Tech)
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Wages
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Vermont - 2023 |
Percentile1 | Hourly | Yearly |
10% |
$ 18.69 |
$38,870 |
25% |
$ 22.75 |
$47,320 |
Median |
$ 27.32 |
$56,820 |
75% |
$ 30.53 |
$63,500 |
90% |
$ 36.42 |
$75,760 |
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Average |
$ 27.14 |
$56,440 |
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More at CareerOneStop |
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Industries of Employment
United States - 2020 |
Industry | Percent of total |
- Specialty trade contractors
| 68% |
| 9% |
- Educational services; state, local, and private
| 3% |
- Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
| 3% |
| 2% |
More at BLS |
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Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about: |
- Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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- Building and Construction
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
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- Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
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- Engineering and Technology
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
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- Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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More at O*NET |
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Skills
People in this career often have these skills: |
- Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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- Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
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- Installation
Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
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- Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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More at O*NET |
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Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments: |
- Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
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- Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
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- Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
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What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler |
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Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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- Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
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- Innovation
Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
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- Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
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More at O*NET |
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Tasks
On the job, you would: |
- Test electrical circuits or components for continuity, using electrical test equipment.
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- Comply with all applicable standards, policies, or procedures, such as safety procedures or the maintenance of a clean work area.
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- Study blueprints, design specifications, or manufacturers' recommendations to ascertain the configuration of heating or cooling equipment components and to ensure the proper installation of components.
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- Discuss heating or cooling system malfunctions with users to isolate problems or to verify that repairs corrected malfunctions.
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- Connect heating or air conditioning equipment to fuel, water, or refrigerant source to form complete circuit.
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More at O*NET |
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Related Occupations
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Career Video
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Projected Employment
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Vermont |
2020 employment |
977 |
2030 employment |
1,032 |
Annual percent change (compounded) |
0.5% |
Annual projected job openings (due to change and separations) |
100 |
More at Occupational Projections |
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Education and Experience:
- Typical education needed for entry
Postsecondary non-degree award
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- Work experience in a related occupation
None
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
Long-term on-the-job training
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Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications |
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Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. |
- Physical activity is Very Important
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- Level of activity is High
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Low | | High |
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Compare Occupations at O*NET |
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Job Zone
Medium Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(6.0 to < 7.0) - A typical worker will require
over 1 year up to and including 2 years
of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
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Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP |
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Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have? |
Education level | | Percent of U.S. Workers |
Doctoral or professional degree or post-MA certificate | | 0% |
Master's degree or post-BA certificate | | 0% |
Bachelor's degree | | 0% |
Associate's degree | | 2% |
Certificate or some college, no degree | | 75% |
High school diploma or equivalent | | 3% |
Less than high school diploma | | 20% |
More at O*NET |
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Licensing
Vermont may require an occupational license: |
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Select a license for details |
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Abilities
People in this career often have talent in: |
- Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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- Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
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- Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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- Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
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- Finger Dexterity
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
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More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
In general, what you might do: |
- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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- Performing General Physical Activities
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
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- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
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- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
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- Handling and Moving Objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
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More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day: |
- Test electrical circuits or components for proper functioning.
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- Determine operational compliance with regulations or standards.
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- Interpret blueprints, specifications, or diagrams to inform installation, development or operation activities.
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- Confer with customers or users to assess problems.
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- Install heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.
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More at O*NET |
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Other Resources
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- CareerOneStop
resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
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- O*NET Online
nation's primary source of occupational information
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