Students who want to pursue HVAC careers are offered college-level pathway courses: Heating Principles, Heating and Cooling Controls, and Domestic Refrigeration Appliances. This pathway also offers five industry certificates through Harper College as well as industry mentorships and a paid youth apprenticeship with practical work experience and college-level courses.

Apprenticeship

District 214 set up the Youth Apprenticeship program to establish student apprenticeships with local employers. It is one of the first apprenticeship programs in the country to be created and managed by a school district rather than bringing in external organizations to run the program, according to Jobs for the Future, a leading workforce research organization. 

Apprentices are selected for the program in their junior year of high school. They get 20 to 30 hours a month of paid job training during the second semester in addition to college coursework and mentoring. During the summer, they work up to 28 hours a week to expand their skills. At the end of the program, students receive either a federally registered apprenticeship certification or a youth apprenticeship certification in addition to up to a year of college credits. 

During the program’s pilot year, the District opted to use its own facilities for job placements in cybersecurity, HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) and automotive services to streamline the process.

Apply for an HVAC Apprenticeship

Work Based Learning Experiences in HVAC

Student Apprentices have completed a variety of tasks in the HVAC field, including, but not limited to:

• Testing, installing and monitoring commercial HVAC systems
• Assisting and performing maintenance on commercial HVAC systems
• Troubleshooting electrical and control systems

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