Follow Your Path to an HVAC Career

HVAC Specialties - Mar 02,2021

Working in HVAC is a fulfilling job. Sure, it has its hot and cold moments, depending on the task. But providing complete and reliable heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and (sometimes) refrigeration service to residential and commercial clients is its own reward. Learn more about this profession and how SCR can help you to find and follow your path to an HVAC career.

THE FRAMEWORK

HVAC service technicians install, maintain, repair, and replace the climate control systems that keep us comfortable. Ensuring the effective and efficient operation of heating, ventilation, and cooling systems is important for client satisfaction and safety.

On a given day, an HVAC technician may need to perform duties that include:

Troubleshooting electrical and mechanical issues
Checking for leaks
Cleaning, adjusting, or repairing systems and equipment
Testing and regulating controls
Assembling and installing HVAC equipment
Interpreting blueprints

One of the best things about working in HVAC is that every day offers new challenges in a variety of environments with more opportunities to learn and grow.

GIVING AND GAINING

SCR is the industry leader for commercial and residential HVAC service across the state. We employ and train our technicians to understand all aspects of HVAC. That way, they’re able to assess and understand any issues while adapting to this continually changing industry.

Once you decide that an HVAC career is right for you, make sure to secure a solid education foundation. This path most often requires attaining a high school diploma or GED equivalent before continuing on to earn certification. Additional courses for specialized skills can add to your resume and knowledge base and serve as stepping-stones toward a long and successful HVAC career.

You’ll climb the HVAC career ladder by starting as a laborer or apprentice, where you’ll get hands-on training to hone your skills. As you work your way up to installer or service tech and beyond, you’ll gain more knowledge and become more adept in your trade.

With each rung, you’ll experience more success and job satisfaction, along with increased compensation and pride in your work.

THE FUTURE

Service technicians are the driving force behind SCR. Currently, HVAC service and installation techs are a highly sought-after crowd, and that demand is only expected to increase over the next several years.

In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates a steady increase in HVAC tech employment through 2029.

For more than 60 years, the family-owned SCR has provided quality service to residential and commercial customers throughout Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. We have all the tools you need to discover and follow your path to an HVAC career. When you’re ready to get started, we’re here to help. Contact us today or visit our website to find current job openings.

Deliver Safer Air with New Technology

The current state of the world has everyone thinking about safeguards, especially regarding indoor air quality. For companies, organizations, and institutions both large and small, safety is the top priority. While the task of purifying indoor air during a global pandemic may seem daunting, Global Plasma Solutions (GPS) and SCR have the answer. Thanks to NeedlePoint Bipolar Ionization (NPBI), SCR can deliver safer air with new technology.

THE SYSTEM

GPS’s patented NPBI system uses a facility’s existing heating and cooling system to provide cleaner indoor air. Throughout the process, ions steadily attach to airborne particles. Opposite polarities combine to become larger particles, which allows the system to more quickly recognize, capture, and eliminate them.

In June 2020, GPS conducted a laboratory study in collaboration with Aviation Clear Air. Initial testing revealed a 99.4 percent reduction on a COVID-19 surface strain after 30 minutes. This neutralization is the earliest example by an air purification enterprise.

This technology is ozone-free and subsequently environmentally friendly. What’s more, it can be installed in any system inside any building, from airports and arenas to hospitals, office buildings, places of worship, universities, and everything in between.

THE PROCESS

NPBI targets airborne particles, pathogens, and odors to deliver clean, healthy indoor air while also saving energy. This scientific and cost-effective approach functions by:

Targeting particles. Ions attach to air particles, making them larger and more easily captured by filtration systems.
Eliminating odors. The technology reduces indoor odors to basic compounds. What remains is fresh air, free from volatile organic compounds.
Reducing pathogens. The process destroys viruses, spores, and bacteria, rendering them inactive and unable to replicate.
Saving energy. By requiring less fresh, outdoor air, this system saves about 30 percent on energy consumption costs.

Clean indoor air is an incomparable resource, especially right now. With more than 250,000 satisfied installations, GPS’s NPBI system is a proven way to deliver effectively safer air through existing components. Contact SCR today to learn how this technology can work for you.

SCR Scholarship Programs Focus on Success

SCR News & Updates - May 26,2020

Each year SCR provides great opportunities for students looking to explore career options in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R). Through its Scholarships and Internships Programs, students gain valuable experience to use post-graduation. Keep reading to learn about these programs and how they are set up to help participants focus on success.

HOW & WHERE

The scholarships and internships available through SCR are virtually intertwined. This means that students in the scholarship program can complete their internship at the same time.

“Most of the programs have some kind of internship built into the curriculum,” said Kelsey Combs, Human Resource Generalist at SCR. “So, they would do that internship with us.”

These programs are offered regionally to accommodate SCR’s branches and service areas:

Central: St. Cloud, Duluth/Superior
Metro: Twin Cities area
Northern: Brainerd/Baxter
Southern: Mankato, Rochester

The number of available scholarships varies, Combs said. “We base it upon our projected needs, and that changes from year to year,” she added.

THE NUTS & BOLTS

Applicants must complete a mechanical aptitude test to determine if the HVAC/R program is a good fit. The test analyzes things like mechanical inclination, knowledge of tools, and spatial reasoning to assess proficiency and ability to learn the intricacies of the trade.

The program allows students to intern in different departments, gaining hands-on experience in service, refrigeration installation, and controls.

“We try to get them to rotate through all of them, but it depends on their area of study,” Combs said. Broader degrees such as HVAC require knowledge in more areas, whereas other programs are targeted toward specific departments.

ELIGIBILITY & EXPECTATIONS

To qualify for the Scholarship and Internship Program, students are required to:

Enroll in one of the HVAC, HVAC/R, Electrical Construction, Instrumentation, or Residential Plumbing programs
Successfully complete a Mechanical Aptitude Test
Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better
Commit to working for SCR following graduation

For the Central and Northern branches, the post-graduate employment requirement is two years. For the Southern location, students receive a full-ride scholarship and then need to commit to working for SCR for three years after graduation.

“But most employees end up staying long-term,” Combs said, “so this program has been really successful.”

WHAT TO KNOW

Because these programs are so popular, many of them have wait lists for enrollment. To avoid eligibility issues, Combs suggests students plan ahead.

“If somebody is thinking about pursuing a degree in HVAC, you have to be ahead of everyone else,” she said.

Students interested in the Scholarship and Internship Program can apply on the SCR website or on Indeed.com. Combs also said a lot of applicants are referred by current employees or encouraged by instructors at the local colleges to apply.

To learn more about this program and its focus on success, email jobs@scr-mn.com.