Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

People in this career often have these skills:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

People in this career often know a lot about:

• Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

People in this career often have talent in:

• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

People in this career often do these activities:

• Confer with customers or users to assess problems.
• Test electrical circuits or components for proper functioning.
• Service heating, ventilation or air-conditioning (HVAC) systems or components.
• Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
• Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.

• Connect electrical components or equipment.
• Schedule repair, installation or maintenance activities.
• Install home appliances.
• Travel to work sites to perform installation, repair or maintenance work.
• Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
• Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
• Install heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.
• Determine operational compliance with regulations or standards.
• Test mechanical systems to ensure proper functioning.
• Braze metal parts or components.
• Advise others on issues related to repairs, installation, or equipment design.
• Maintain repair or maintenance records.
• Document operational activities.
• Install machine or equipment replacement parts.
• Inspect systems to determine if they are operating properly.
• Interpret blueprints, specifications, or diagrams to inform installation, development or operation activities.
• Install energy-efficient heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.
• Train others in operational procedures.
• Supervise employees.
• Lay out work according to specifications.
• Measure distances or dimensions.
• Cut materials according to specifications or needs.
• Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
• Drill holes in parts, equipment, or materials.

• Electricians

• Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

• Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

• Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door

• Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians

• Millwrights

• Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

• Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

• Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

• Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters