The Growing Demand for HVAC Technicians: Is There a Shortage of Skilled Labor?

The number of HVAC technicians in the US is estimated to be around 290,000 with approximately 110,000 unfilled positions. Learn why there is a shortage of skilled labor and how it could mean career opportunities for workers with the right mix of HVAC training.

The Growing Demand for HVAC Technicians: Is There a Shortage of Skilled Labor?

The number of HVAC technicians in the US is estimated to be around 290,000, with approximately 110,000 unfilled positions. Unfortunately, 8% of these professionals leave the industry every year, resulting in a net loss of 23,000 people. This means that if you are considering investing in vocational training, you should consider the prospects of getting a job in the HVAC field. Benefits such as health care, retirement, paid vacation, career advancement, and a healthy business culture are all attractive incentives. The COVID-19 pandemic has not changed the situation much since HVAC technicians are considered essential workers.

The federal government has ranked them among the workforce needed to keep the nation's critical infrastructure up and running during the pandemic. Plumbers, electricians, refrigeration technicians, and other construction and manufacturing workers are also on the list. In Arizona, Governor Doug Ducey declared that the construction industry was essential, allowing many companies to continue operating during the pandemic while focusing on worker safety. Now, many contractors in that country think that the construction industry will lead Arizona's economic recovery after COVID-19. The construction industry is the top employer of HVAC technicians and the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale region is one of the metropolitan areas with the highest levels of employment for these professionals. Implementing processes to attract and retain HVAC technicians can take time and creating a healthy business culture probably won't happen overnight. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) only accredits the business management of a school, not the quality of its curriculum or training programs.

As a result of this shortage of skilled labor, you may have to pay more to work on your home's heating and cooling systems in the coming years. The growing demand from merchants can be related to several factors. The first is that a large part of today's professional workforce is or will be retiring soon, and there aren't enough people in the talent pipeline to take their place. This is because the baby boomer generation was one of the last to pursue a professional career before universities began offering more opportunities. Now that this generation is getting closer to retirement age, there are more open positions in these sectors than ever before. With this in mind, it is important to understand why there is a shortage of skilled labor and how it could mean career opportunities for workers with the right mix of HVAC training, experience, and skills.

Mollie Pelle
Mollie Pelle

Extreme writer. Award-winning zombie enthusiast. Proud social media geek. Lifelong social mediaholic. Friendly music buff. Friendly music expert.