High on HVAC

Sneh Birla

The word HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. HVAC Systems are one of the most important considerations while constructing a building, whether it is residential, commercial or industrial. In short, they are a significant part of the building. HVAC systems help in controlling the temperature, humidity and air quality to provide a comfortable internal environment to the residents in the building. 

HVAC systems design is a subfield of mechanical engineering and it works on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer. 

Opportunities

The near future for HVAC Technicians is pretty good due to the rising need for energy efficient HVAC systems in India. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs for HVAC Technicians are expected to grow at a rate of 15 per cent by 2026. Given the technological advancements in the field of HVAC and the increasing complexity of the equipment used in central air, heating and refrigeration systems, a team of skilled people is required who has the knowledge of installing, repairing and maintaining the HVAC system. 

Work profile 

HVAC tachnicians maintain and repair heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems in commercial and industrial areas. They engage with the client to understand the work requirement and follow organisational norms to complete the work. A technician performs service, repair and performance check of a packaged type HVAC ducted system at a site

Getting in

If you are thinking of starting a career as an HVAC Technician, you can take training in HVAC Technician job role/Qualification Pack (QP) designed by Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI), set up under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). 

The registered training partners (TPs) of the council present pan-India provide practical based skill training to the candidates in the respective job roles and make them job-ready as per the industry requirements.

• The minimum educational qualification required for this job role is ITI/Diploma (Electrical/Mechanical/RAC) or science graduate.
• The minimum job entry age is 18 years.
• Course duration: The duration of the course is 350 hours.

Personal attributes

The individual must be willing to work in the field and travel throughout the day from one location to another. The individual should have patience, amenable behaviour, calm demeanor and skills for interpersonal relationship building, critical thinking and punctuality.

Career Progression

HVAC Technician Assistance can become an HVAC Technician, Duct Technician, and VAR Technician in the future. Later, they can be promoted as field managers and after that, they can work as a client engineer on any site.

Salary package

The salary package of HVAC Technician is around Rs 5lakh per annum

— The writer is Manager-Standards & QA (Electronics Sector Skills Council of India)

Skill-based training outcome

After completing training in HVAC Technician job role, a candidate will be able to build up the following key competencies:

• Identify and work with different types of HVAC System
• Identify client requirements
• Prepare a list of solutions and suggest them to the client
• Use standards and guidelines to service and repair HVAC systems installed at the client site
• Prepare daily work records and report the work done
• Comply with the standards and communications norms specified by the organisation.

Learning modules

This job role has some learning modules, which candidates can learn during the training and can become a trained HVAC Technician –

• Engage with the customer for service
• Service, troubleshoot and repair an HVAC system – Chillers
• Work effectively at the workplace
• Apply health and safety practices at the workplace

Scope

Rise in infrastructure, rapid urbanisation, and growth in commercial & residential properties are some of the prime factors driving the market of HVAC systems in India. The surging infrastructure-based development and growing robust construction activity is significantly going to raise demand for HVAC systems in the coming years. As per the TechSci Research Report, HVAC market in India is projected to exceed $7.7 billion by 2022. However, according to the special case study, the HVAC market opportunities in UAE is anticipated to grow at 8-10 per cent with an estimated value of $850 million for the next 4 years due to the revival of real estate sector.