The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the national unemployment rate is hovering at 7.6 percent, but trade contracting, which includes the HVACR sector, is slowly on the rise. “Employment in specialty trade contracting has increased by 128,000 since September 2012,” noted a March report, issued by the BLS. “This gain is about equally split between residential and nonresidential components.”

While unemployment rates are edging downward in some states, the need for gainful employment is still a tangible necessity in most regions. The BLS is estimating an approximate 34 percent increase for demand of mechanics and installers between 2010 and 2020, and while the HVAC industry employs many installers and mechanics, its job reach extends well beyond those two positions.