HVAC

There are a couple of different pathways to becoming an HVAC technician. Some people choose to go into an apprenticeship, which means jumping right into on-the-job work under substantial supervision, although it should be noted that an apprenticeship program can take several years.  

A lot of other people enroll in an HVAC training program like the one we offer here at Summit College El Cajon. It offers a way to learn that is more structured and efficient, with curricula that can be completed in a matter of months.  

To apply for the HVAC program at Summit, you need to: 

• Be 18 years or older 
• Provide an acceptable high school diploma, GED, or equivalent 
• Complete an interview with an Admissions Advisor 

Meet the required level of proficiency with speaking, reading, writing, and understanding English 

As part of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires that any HVAC technician who works with refrigerants must hold the EPA 608 Certification for the equipment that they work on — small appliances, high-pressure appliances, low-pressure appliances, or all types. The HVAC program at Summit College El Cajon is structured to prepare our students to sit for the EPA 608 Universal Certification. 

Beyond that, there are a few different types of contractor licenses through the California Contractors State License Board. If you aim to become a contractor or to be self-employed, you will likely need to sit for licensure exams like: 

• C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor — A warm-air heating, ventilating and air-conditioning contractor fabricates, installs, maintains, services and repairs warm-air heating systems and water heating heat pumps, complete with warm-air appliances; ventilating systems complete with blowers and plenum chambers; air-conditioning systems complete with air-conditioning unit; and the ducts, registers, flues, humidity and thermostatic controls and air filters in connection with any of these systems. This classification shall include warm-air heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems which utilize solar energy. 
• C-46 Solar Contractor — A solar contractor installs, modifies, maintains, and repairs thermal and photovoltaic solar energy systems. A licensee classified in this section shall not undertake or perform building or construction trades, crafts, or skills, except when required to install a thermal or photovoltaic solar energy system. 
• C-38 Refrigeration Contractor — A refrigeration contractor constructs, fabricates, erects, installs, maintains, services and repairs refrigerators, refrigerated rooms, and insulated refrigerated spaces, temperature insulation, air-conditioning units, ducts, blowers, registers, humidity and thermostatic controls for the control of air, liquid, and/or gas temperatures below fifty degrees Fahrenheit (50 ), or ten degrees Celsius (10 ). 

It can certainly be a physically demanding job, which makes it a great fit for people who find the idea of sitting all day in front of a computer mind-numbing. HVAC technicians work both indoors and outdoors, sometimes in cramped spaces or buildings that are exceedingly warm or cold because the system isn’t working. Learning how to appropriately utilize personal protective equipment, like safety goggles and masks, and how to properly lift heavy parts and machinery goes a long way toward preventing injury. 

At Summit College El Cajon, we know that your time is precious and you aren’t necessarily in a situation where you can spare 1-2 years or more on a training program. We’ve designed our HVAC program to teach you the skills and techniques you need to know in just 36 weeks so that you can spend less time in the classroom and more time getting out into the workforce. 

It’s important to carefully select your HVAC training program because the tuition and costs can be very different from school to school. Traditional colleges in California can cost upwards of $40,000 per year, a price tag that is out of reach for a lot of people. As a comparison, the entirety of a short-term HVAC program like the one we offer at Summit College El Cajon costs less than half that number. Summit College also has access to a number of financial aid options to support our students.