With the rapid evolution in technology, there is an urgent need to retrain technicians so that they are better equipped to keep up with job demands. This is proving to be a challenge because the learning curve involved is getting steeper by the day. A proliferation of technical equipment bombards the industry every day and technicians are expected to adopt, maintain and run these without inconveniencing respective industries. To make matters worse, manufacturers of technical equipment implement their own design and functionality on their products. This is unlike a decade ago, where equipment had a similar interface making the transition from one brand to the other relatively easy. The HVACR industry is one of the industries affected by this.
With the increasing complexities of HVAC equipment, trainers in the industry are finding it necessary to focus more on the fundamentals and the basics of HVAC systems than ever before. This shift is necessitated by the evolving nature of the HVAC machinery. Without understanding the basics, future HVAC operators would be faced with a crisis occasioned by changing design and functionality of their equipment. However, with a solid understanding of the basics, technicians are able to fully adopt any technological advancement in their hardware. Thermodynamics and electrical theory will forever remain constant. Therefore with a solid understanding of the fundamentals, changes in design will never affect the efficiency of a HVAC operator.
HVAC machinery is expected to migrate to a technologically advanced level, with proprietary controls and software. It would be therefore misleading to encourage trainees to shoot straight to the technology end of their training, as this is a volatile field that is constantly changing. Training would come off better if focused on the base operation of HVAC machinery. This has been noted in the field as well as in classes. The younger generation of technicians increasingly spends time around the older generation than before. This is attributed to the fact that the older generation has a strong grasp on the fundamentals, which are a must in today’s field.
For HVAC businesses, getting their technical staff trained is not just an option but a necessity. It is no longer sufficient to rely on the experience staff members pick along the way. There is an inherent need to develop core skills at the fundamental level. Also, trained technicians may want to brush up on the basics so as not to become bewildered with the startling pace of technological change. This can easily be achieved by attending courses offered by qualified and competent HVAC instructors.