How to Get Teens Interested in Learning About HVAC

It’s almost time for teens to go back to school. Some of them are probably trying to figure out where they’ll go or what they’ll do after graduating. Others may already have a plan in mind, but no idea where to start.

Could HVAC be a part of their future plan? Whether you’re a teen who wants to learn more about this trade already, or you’re a concerned parent or teacher or guardian figure looking to help teens out, maybe we can help you out too. Here are some ways to get teens interested in learning about HVAC.

1: Apply real-life situations

Every teen at some point in their lives will want to move out of their parents’ home. It doesn’t matter if they want to rent or buy their home in the future; whatever they decide, they will have to take on extra responsibilities, and this includes—you guessed it—maintaining the HVAC inside and out.

It matters that teens learn about it because a lot of the worst-case scenarios we’ve outlined in our blog affects everyone. A lot of the time we’ve seen people wait until there is an emergency shutdown of your HVAC system to finally try to learn about HVAC, how it works, and how you need to go about maintaining it. This is a bad practice for a lot of reasons! It shows a clear disinterest in learning about something that you will actually have to live with and take care for quite a long time—all the way through adulthood.

Teens who move out into their own apartment may get too used to having their landlord (if they’re renting) look after their HVAC needs, which can also be a problem if an emergency happens and they don’t know what to do. That being said, there are some who are actually very invested in learning about technology and machinery as well as understanding how it works. Even more are interested about homeownership and how to take care of themselves at an early enough age. Teens are also a lot smarter than we give them credit for; they do want to know about how best to take care of themselves, and that can and does include learning about HVAC.

A lot of options to understand how HVAC functions and what it needs to run properly exist not only for teenage to young adult homeowners but also renters. A few examples include portable or window A/C, ventilation, and even fridge maintenance while they’re at work.

These are just a few real-life situations that teens will eventually have to come face to face with that you, as their parent or teacher or guardian or employer, can potentially build them up to. Share with them some articles and videos you find online (yes, online—that’s where the majority of teens go nowadays) about the latest models on the market or tips. Try to encourage them to stand by and watch how you maintain the HVAC when it’s time. You can also ask your technician next time they come in for scheduled maintenance if the teen can spot them as they work, to see how it’s done in real time.

2: Get them to interview an actual technician

Naturally learning about things like HVAC comes with its own slew of questions that you may not have the answer to. The Internet helps, but only to a certain degree—it’s one thing to read about HVAC online. It’s quite another to practice things like maintenance and understanding the signs of a problem in real life.

With all that in mind, it may help teens to interview actual technicians. We’re always happy to talk HVAC! While we may be busy during the high seasons of maintenance (i.e. summer and winter), usually as the season is winding down into fall or spring is a good time for teens to ask us any questions they may have. Informational interviews are also great practice for teens who may be job hunting or simply testing the waters to see what kinds of career options might be available to them in the future.

3: Examine trade schools

If your teen was really thrilled to learn more about HVAC after the interview, or maybe they love being able to fix and repair machines in general, then you could always suggest they apply to a trade school after graduation. Several programs for learning more about HVAC beyond high school are available to graduating teens throughout Canada, and some of them are less costly than others depending on where the school is located. Even if they apply and don’t get in yet, you can suggest to them that they volunteer or become an apprentice while they wait.

4: Encourage their newfound interest

It’s important that if you know a teenager who does show newfound interest in HVAC that you encourage those interests! Nothing can dissuade teens like an adult telling them that their passions are a waste of time, or that they’ll never build a career out of it. Be positive and encouraging to those teens who show interest. It may not always turn out that they go to school to learn more. However, there are plenty of opportunities where they can learn more about HVAC if they want to. This blog would be a good start!

If you know any teens who want to learn more about what we do and why we do it, we’re always happy to talk! Give us a call if you’d like—maybe you need some actual maintenance done in the meantime? At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!