The Courses HVAC Professionals Wish They’d Taken

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“If I could add or invent a new course for an HVAC curriculum, it would be titled ‘Business Management for HVAC.´”

Jason Killinger. MS, Associate Professor of HVAC Technology and Department Head, Pennsylvania College of Technology

The need for HVAC professionals is forecast to grow 9 percent by 2033, a rate much faster than the national average, resulting in an estimated 40,100 new jobs (BLS 2024). The industry’s growth is fueled by rising demand for energy-efficient systems and innovations in smart technology, both of which point towards a bright future. But as the HVAC landscape changes, the way it’s taught to the next generation of HVAC professionals is changing, too.

On average, US consumers replace three million heating and cooling systems each year (Consumer Affairs 2023). Some of those systems can be quite different from what came before, and they require HVAC professionals to understand their particularities—their environmental impacts, their pros and cons—and communicate them to the consumer. Strong HVAC fundamentals are important here, but soft skills can also help.

While HVAC is a STEM-focused field, based on science and technology, the skills needed to become an expert HVAC professional can extend beyond the hard sciences. Many HVAC professionals need to be entrepreneurs, marketers, and even counselors to their clients, and not every HVAC program includes classes that adequately prepare students for those roles. However, they soon may.

This is a rapidly changing industry, and the way it’s being taught to the next generation of HVAC professionals is changing, too. To get an idea of where the HVAC field is headed and what tomorrow’s HVAC education may look like, we spoke with two HVAC professionals about the courses they wish they’d taken. To learn more, read on.

Meet the Expert: Jason Killinger, MS

Jason Killinger

Jason Killinger is an associate professor of HVAC technology and the department head at the Pennsylvania College of Technology. He earned his BS in HVAC design technology from the Pennsylvania College of Technology and his MS in Education from Wilkes University. He has over 25 years of industry experience.

Killinger is a chief examiner for ARI’s/AHRI’s Technician Certification Exam and Industry Competency Exam.

HVACClasses.org: What’s a class related to HVAC that you wish you took, but didn’t?

Killinger: I wish I’d taken a business course, like “Principles of Marketing or Management.” This course would have helped me to navigate the competitive landscape, develop growth strategies, and manage the business operations of an HVAC company. It would have benefited me with different types of market analysis and financial management, providing a more comprehensive overview of how to run and grow a business in this area effectively.

HVACClasses.org: What’s a class that might seem unrelated to HVAC but would’ve helped you in your HVAC career?

Killinger: A psychology class is not related to HVAC, but it could have been beneficial. Understanding human behavior could have helped me deal with clients, understand their needs, and handle conflicts or concerns. It would have helped me explain complex HVAC issues in simple terms or negotiate solutions—valuable for building trust and ensuring customer satisfaction.

HVACClasses.org: If you could add or invent a new course for an HVAC curriculum in order to better prepare students for the future of HVAC, what would that class include?

Killinger: If I could add or invent a new course for an HVAC curriculum, it would be titled “Business Management for HVAC.” The course would be designed to help with understanding the essential business practices needed in this rapidly evolving industry. The course would help in drafting comprehensive business plans and growth strategies, including digital marketing and financial management that are being used to attract new customers and build awareness of new technologies.

Additionally, it would evaluate sales strategies to show successful HVAC business models and what sets them apart. This course could lead in a multitude of ways, but would provide the knowledge necessary to establish and develop a successful HVAC business in this technology-driven industry.

Meet the Expert: Brian D. Sullivan

Brian D. Sullivan

Brian Sullivan is an assistant professor of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration technology at the New England Institute of Technology. He earned his associate in science degree in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technology from New England Institute of Technology. He also holds a bachelor’s of applied science in educational/instructional technology from Fitchburg State University.

Before joining the New England Institute of Technology faculty in 2009, Sullivan served as an HVAC instructor at the Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School for over 14 years.

HVACClasses.org: What is a class related to HVAC that you wish you took, but didn’t?

Sullivan: During the 1980s when I attended college for HVAC, there were few add-on classes offered in addition to the standard education courses. One course I did take after graduation was a gas heating course. This was a study of propane and natural gas technologies understanding combustion analyzation and flame rectification. That knowledge was vital to understand how gas heating equipment operated and provided safe ignition and shutoff.

For those technicians who are self-employed, I would also recommend attending classes in accounting to help understand profits, losses, and balance sheets to ensure the business is operating profitably.

Today, many colleges and universities offer classes on soft skills, blueprint reading, control wiring layout, and digital controls concepts. All large rooftop units have digital software proprietary to their equipment, so today’s HVAC technicians are required to know how to program this equipment.

HVACClasses.org: What class that might seem unrelated to HVAC, but would’ve helped you in your HVAC career?

Sullivan: Taking a class in soft skills is essential to becoming a skilled HVAC professional. Understanding the importance of listening and knowing how to address a problem when a customer explains their complaint or situation is an important skill for HVAC technicians to possess.

Working in a HVAC environment is very diverse. Industrial, corporate, and residential customers must be understood, and the technician needs to exhibit professionalism and understanding. Each sector offers its own uniqueness so the technician must have the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate each environment to be successful.

HVACClasses.org: If you could add or invent a new course for an HVAC curriculum in order to better prepare students for the future of HVAC, what would that class include?

Sullivan: The more a student can understand and grasp the concept of electrical wiring and circuits, the better prepared they will be to diagnose the electrical issues in the field. I’ve designed an electrical course to assist my students to become more fluent in logical thinking to determine what is needed in a concept of relays, wires and switches and then draw and build those circuits. I have noticed an improvement in their understanding when they take other electrical courses after completing my course. They are better prepared and are more successful.

Matt Zbrog

Matt Zbrog

Matt Zbrog is a writer and researcher from Southern California. He's been living abroad since 2016. Long spells in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America have made the global mindset a core tenet of his perspective. From conceptual art in Los Angeles, to NGO work on the front lines of Eastern Ukraine, to counterculture protests in the Southern Caucasus, Matt's writing subjects are all over the map, and so is he.

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