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Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (49-9021)

Occupation description:  Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, or refrigeration systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces, and heating stoves.

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Employment and Job Openings

  Average employment Average annual openings
  2010 estimate2020 projectionPercent change GrowthReplacementTotal
Alaska 294326 10.93 58
United States 267,800358,100 33.79,020 4,74013,760

Job outlook

  • Alaska: Alaska’s employment growth is moderate with moderate employment opportunities. Read more.


2012 Wages

  Mean Wage and
95% Confidence Interval		 Wage by Percentile
  LowMeanHigh 10thMedian90th
United States n/a22.03n/a 13.1420.9833.17
Alaska 27.1730.4633.75 20.4228.1349.28
Anchorage/Mat-Su Area (MSA) 25.6227.2528.89 21.3427.5434.07
Fairbanks North Star Borough (MSA) 25.8728.9432.01 20.1428.8939.35
Southeast Region 22.8725.7528.63 20.1125.3433.23
Balance of State 31.2839.6047.92 18.1347.5356.65

Labor Force Indicators

2011 Worker Characteristics
Total workersNonresident workers Percent nonresidentPercent age 45 plusPercent age 50 plus
39566 16.746.4 32.9
2011 Potential Supply
Qualified but working in another occupation71
Currently employed in a lower paid occupation20
UI claimants previously working in occupation70
2011 ALEXsys Employment Data
Number of registrants 478
Number of job position postings 94
Ratio of registrants to job position postings 5.1

Typical Entry-level Education, Experience, and/or On-the-job Training

Education: Postsecondary non-degree award Work experience: None On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training

Training Resources

 DegreeFY2008–2010 reported exiters
Alaska Building Science Network
Alternative Energy in Alaska 0
Boiler Maintenance and Repair 0
Breathing in Buildings – 3-Hour 0
Breathing in Buildings – 4-Hour 0
Complying with Ventilations Requirements of BEES 0
Energy Programs in Alaska 0
Energy Retrofit of an Existing Home 0
Energy, Alternative Energy Systems and Infrastructure 0
Foundations and Crawl Space Ventilations 0
Getting to Zero Energy in Alaska Homes 0
Healthy Air: What You Should Know about the Air You Breathe 0
Heating and Ventilation Best Practices 0
Heating Systems for Energy Efficient Homes: 1-Hour 0
Heating Systems for Energy Efficient Homes: 2-Hour 0
IAQ – Parking Your Car in the Living Room 0
Introduction to Radiant Heat 0
Introduction to Solar Energy Design 0
Introduction to Solar Thermal Energy 0
Mold and Moisture in the Healthy House 0
Of Mold, Moisture and Other Things 0
Passive Ventilation 0
Preventing and Solving Air Quality Problems in Homes 0
Solutions to Preventing Moisture Scare 0
Ventilation Strategies for Existing Homes 0
Ventilation Strategies for New Homes 0
Ventilation System Design and Installation 0
Ventilation: Understanding ASHRAE 62.2 0

 DegreeFY2008–2010 reported exiters
Alaska Craftsman Home Program
Advanced Blower Door Training 0
Advanced Cold Climate Heating and Ventilation Systems 0
Air Tightness & Ventilation 0
Basic Blower Door Training 0
Combustion Safety Training 0
Identifying Heating Systems & System Components 0
Understanding Heating Systems- Options for AHFC Programs 0

 DegreeFY2008–2010 reported exiters
Alaska Technical Center
Electrical Systems/Heating Systems 0
Electrical Systems/Heating Systems/Plumbing Systems 0
Heating Systems 3
Oil Fired Burner/Boilers Maintenance 18

 DegreeFY2008–2010 reported exiters
Alaska’s Institute of Technology
Basic Refrigeration 0
Plumbing and Heating Certificate25

 DegreeFY2008–2010 reported exiters
Anchorage Area Plumbers & Pipefitters Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee
Air Conditioning 0
Heating 0
Refrigeration 0

 DegreeFY2008–2010 reported exiters
Charter College, Anchorage
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC) Certificate0

 DegreeFY2008–2010 reported exiters
Northern Industrial Training
NCCER HVAC Level 1 Certificate0
NCCER HVAC Level 2 Certificate0
NCCER HVAC Level 3 Certificate0
NCCER HVAC Level 4 Certificate0

 DegreeFY2008–2010 reported exiters
University of Alaska Anchorage, Mat-Su
Commercial HVAC Syst, OEC 0
Commercial Refrig, OEC 0
Heating, CT1 0
Refrig & Heat Technology, AAS 0
Refrig & Heat Technology, CT2 0
Residential Air Cond & Ref, OEC 0
Residential Heat/Vent, OEC 0

 DegreeFY2008–2010 reported exiters
Vocational Training and Resource Center
Advanced Oil Burner Troubleshooting Certificate7
NORA Gold Certification Certificate9
NORA Silver Certification Certificate10
Oil Burner Maintenance and Troubleshooting Certificate13