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Tristan
Student
Yuma, Arizona
1
Question
Asked
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How to get experience without being in school for a technician?
My name is Tristan and i am a 8th grade student from Crane Middle School. I want to be a technician by the time I am 18. My brother owns a business called Tri-Sun Refrigeration. He became a technician by 19 as a drop out with the help of the business being his grandparents. I come to this platform to ask people for tips and tricks to help me becoming a technician. Also what are some ways I can get experience without being in school?
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1 answer
Stefan Aubertin
General Manager
9
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Stefan’s Answer
Hi Tristan,
Your plan is ambitious, and I admire your drive to achieve this by the time you are 18.
Here are some things to consider:
Certifications: You can work on essential trade certifications, such as the EPA Section 608, which is required by federal law. The process of obtaining these certifications will be a valuable educational experience in itself. You should also contact a trade organization, like Natex, to learn about other certificate options.
Education Foundation: Do whatever it takes to get your high school diploma or GED. This strengthens your position, particularly if you ever need a plan B (for instance, if you get injured on the job).
Trade School vs. College: If resources allow, you can significantly elevate your qualifications by attending a trade school instead of a traditional college. The benefits include:
Learning essential skills you might not have considered, all relevant to your trade.
Gaining hands-on experience without the risk of costly damage to customer equipment.
Accessing job placement assistance offered by the school.
While they can be expensive, many trade schools offer scholarship or aid programs you can apply for.
Community College Options: It is always worthwhile to check if your local community college has a program for the refrigeration trade; they may also offer relevant certifications. The same benefits as a trade school apply at a much lower cost.
Business Skills: Another benefit of taking some community college classes is the opportunity to study topics that expand your options and help you learn the fundamentals of running your own business (like accounting and marketing). Even if you get certified and begin working immediately, you can consider attending school part-time (or at night, where available) to round out your business skills.
Gaining Experience: A final thought: contact local refrigeration companies to see if you can secure an internship or a role as an assistant to gain hands-on experience. Having your certifications beforehand will add credibility and significantly increase your chances of landing such an opportunity.
Your plan is ambitious, and I admire your drive to achieve this by the time you are 18.
Here are some things to consider:
Certifications: You can work on essential trade certifications, such as the EPA Section 608, which is required by federal law. The process of obtaining these certifications will be a valuable educational experience in itself. You should also contact a trade organization, like Natex, to learn about other certificate options.
Education Foundation: Do whatever it takes to get your high school diploma or GED. This strengthens your position, particularly if you ever need a plan B (for instance, if you get injured on the job).
Trade School vs. College: If resources allow, you can significantly elevate your qualifications by attending a trade school instead of a traditional college. The benefits include:
Learning essential skills you might not have considered, all relevant to your trade.
Gaining hands-on experience without the risk of costly damage to customer equipment.
Accessing job placement assistance offered by the school.
While they can be expensive, many trade schools offer scholarship or aid programs you can apply for.
Community College Options: It is always worthwhile to check if your local community college has a program for the refrigeration trade; they may also offer relevant certifications. The same benefits as a trade school apply at a much lower cost.
Business Skills: Another benefit of taking some community college classes is the opportunity to study topics that expand your options and help you learn the fundamentals of running your own business (like accounting and marketing). Even if you get certified and begin working immediately, you can consider attending school part-time (or at night, where available) to round out your business skills.
Gaining Experience: A final thought: contact local refrigeration companies to see if you can secure an internship or a role as an assistant to gain hands-on experience. Having your certifications beforehand will add credibility and significantly increase your chances of landing such an opportunity.
Hello Stefan, Thank you for giving me some feedback as I found a few things useful. The thing I found the most useful was the business skills. I wasn’t to familiar with that area but with you help I understand it better. Your advice was helpful to me because if something happens with my brother’s business then im going to need to figure something out. As if by the time im 18 and something happened to his business I can always do the community college option which could help me found a HVAC job.
Tristan