Careers in Clean Heating & Cooling

Did you know? Clean heating and cooling is a field that's growing fast in New York State, and you can be paid to get trained, learn new skills, and start your career.

But what exactly is clean heating and cooling?

We all need heat to stay warm during New York’s cold winters. Many of us also use air conditioning to stay cool during the summer, especially during extreme heat waves. Currently, most of the heating and cooling equipment we use is outdated and inefficient. Many systems even burn dirty fossil fuels like oil, propane, or natural gas, which is bad for air quality and the environment.

That’s where clean heating and cooling comes in. With a career in clean heating and cooling, you can help your friends and neighbors replace their inefficient heating and cooling equipment with one highly efficient, all-electric system that both heats and cools–a cold-climate heat pump.

Cold-climate heat pumps help people become less reliant on fossil fuels, feel more comfortable in their homes, and save money on their energy bills. That makes clean heating and cooling an increasingly popular choice for New Yorkers. It also makes a career in clean heating and cooling a really smart path for job seekers who want to set themselves up for a rewarding, stable, and successful future—and even if you don’t know much about clean heating and cooling now, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn!

Why Work in Clean Heating & Cooling?

• You don’t need a degree to work in clean heating and cooling.
• You can get free training (or even get paid for your training time!) to learn new skills.
• Demand for heat pumps is expected to grow in the next few years due to new rebate and tax credit programs that will give people money to install these systems.
• Careers in clean heating and cooling pay well, come with good benefits, and give you solid job security.
• You can provide a service that helps people feel more comfortable in their homes and spend less money on their bills!

Key Career Opportunities in Clean Heating & Cooling

1. Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Installer

If you enjoy working with tools and like hands-on work, then an HVAC Installer is a great career choice for you. HVAC Installers help New Yorkers replace outdated and inefficient heating and air conditioning equipment with cleaner options. As an HVAC Installer, you will directly improve your customers’ quality of life by helping them feel more comfortable, reduce their carbon footprint, and even save money on their energy bills.

Learn more about becoming an HVAC Installer

2. Geothermal Driller

Did you know that a few feet below the earth’s surface, the temperature of the ground remains the same no matter how hot or cold the air outside is? Because of this, we can actually connect buildings to the earth’s natural temperature controls for clean heating and cooling. Pretty neat! If you are excited by the idea of operating heavy machinery, this is the job for you. As a Geothermal Driller, you will use specialized machines to help New Yorkers use one of the most effective and efficient types of clean heating and cooling.

Learn more about becoming a Geothermal Driller

3. Geothermal Technician 

Once geothermal drilling is complete, a Geothermal Technician connects a system of pipes from the ground to the building itself. This important job is what allows New Yorkers to move the earth’s geothermal energy from underground to inside their homes—otherwise you just have a hole in the ground! If you enjoy working outside and consider yourself “mechanically inclined,” then a career as a Geothermal Technician is a great way to earn a solid living while helping people use one of the most effective and efficient types of clean heating and cooling.

Learn more about becoming a Geothermal Technician

An Inclusive Career

For the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy to work, we need to make sure that everyone gets a seat at the table. That includes clean energy career opportunities like clean heating and cooling.

New York State works hard to meet the needs of all New Yorkers. Specialized services, programs, and specially trained staff are available to assist job seekers.

Check Out These Additional Programs and Resources for Job Seekers

• Roadtrip Nation – Meet Roadtrip Nation’s team of young New Yorkers who are out to explore clean energy career opportunities in our State. Along the way, the road trippers interview a variety of clean energy professionals throughout the State about how they landed their jobs and learn about the exciting work they do. 
• Clean Energy Workforce Development & Training – NYSERDA offers a variety of programs and resources for New Yorkers who are interested in a clean energy career. Opportunities include paid internships, fellowship programs, and free online learning opportunities that can help jumpstart your future in the clean energy field. 
• NYS Department of Labor – New York State offers registered apprenticeships to help you start your clean energy career. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn with a combination of classroom training and hands-on work under the supervision of an expert.