> A quick Google says it takes 4 years to get a license to be an HVAC technician in my state.
A flat time mandate for HVAC tech certification seems really out of place. And a 4 year path of any sort seems excessive for a technician. I couldn't find anything like that. Most results I found were in the 6-12 mos range - which is often spent employed.
WV was an outlier with a 2000hr requirement. How I have seen (non-hvac) 2k requirements get satisfied are thru a HS VoTech (my son) or 18-24mos doing paid tech work toward the official certification (electrician techs do this).
I can't find a state that requires anything a like a 4yr college degree, where life is put on hold to focus on that. And then 4yrs of living and school expenses are investments that need to be earned back. Not for any trade tech.
"And a 4 year path of any sort seems excessive for a technician"
Its not excessive if the purpose is job protection.
See also any career that involves interning (law, accounting, …)
It’s a air-conditioning system. It’s dead simple you could learn it in an afternoon watching YouTube videos.
HVAC technicians do more than just install mini-splits.
Yeah, and they’re also not doing rocket science