Are you interested in becoming an HVAC technician? Did you hear about ESCO Institute’s Employment Ready Certification and wonder how these fits in with HVAC? This article will explain who ESCO is and how important the Employment Ready Certification is to your education.

What is the ESCO Institute?

The ESCO Institute specializes in developing standards, tools, and training for HVAC/R. ESCO is the largest provider of certification in the HVAC/R industry. They offer an independent, third-party review of educational program students.

What is ESCO Institute Employment Ready Certification?

The ESCO Institute offers certifications for student assessment, entry level certifications after completing an HVAC/R program at a trade school, technician certification, specialty exams and educator credentialing.

CyberTex uses ESCO Employment Ready Certification to validate your knowledge for employment in the HVAC/R industry. Employment Ready Certifications offer employers a measurement of your job knowledge and readiness. These standardized tests can also be used repeatedly to understand your growth of knowledge in HVAC/R, after completing a course.

Basic Refrigeration and Charging Procedures

CyberTex uses this Employment Ready Certification to test your knowledge of HVAC/R theory, systems and components and steps for troubleshooting.

Carbon Monoxide & Combustion Analysis

This exam covers combustion theory, carbon monoxide safety, measurement and general knowledge, the gas used in combustion systems, and the health effects of carbon monoxide.

Electric Heat

This exam covers heating systems and components theory, installation, troubleshooting and service.

Gas Heat

CyberTex uses this exam to test your knowledge of combustion theory, gas furnace installation, troubleshooting and service.

Geothermal Heat Pumps

This exam focuses on geothermal heat pumps theory, troubleshooting and interpretation of heat pump schematics.

Heat Pumps

This exam covers heat pumps service, theory, troubleshooting and schematic interpretation.

Light Commercial Air Conditioning

This Employment Ready Certification exam tests your knowledge of commercial air conditioning systems and their components.

Light Commercial Refrigeration

This exam focuses on commercial refrigeration equipment installation and servicing.

Residential & Light Commercial Hydronic Heat

This exam focuses on the theory, principles, installation, design, and function of hydronic heat.

System Diagnostics & Troubleshooting

This Employment Ready Certification focuses on air conditioning and refrigeration theory, tools, and components.

System Recovery and Evacuation

This exam identifies your ability to recover refrigerant, proper recycling and reclamation, and an evacuation process if dangerous refrigerant is released in the air.

Water Heaters

This exam focuses on the safety, theory, usage, servicing and troubleshooting of water heaters.

What Additional HVAC Certifications are Important?

HVAC technicians must also pass the EPA 608 certification exam, also administered by ESCO. This certification regulates HVAC technician’s knowledge of handling dangerous refrigerants. The EPA regulation mandates that the HVAC technician knows how to handle and properly dispose of refrigerants. An HVAC technician that does the following needs to have an EPA 608 certification:

  • A person attaching or detaching hoses or gauges from an appliance to measure pressure.
  • A person adding or removing refrigerant from an appliance.

Why Complete HVAC Certifications?

There are many reasons to complete HVAC certifications. Some of the more common reasons include:

Student Comprehension

Instructors use Employment Ready Certifications to make sure that you have retained the knowledge from the classroom. Passing these certifications proves your proficiency with these HVAC topics. They can also be used over time to test your knowledge growth or decline.

Future Employer

Employers want to know that you have the knowledge and experience to start working with little on-the-job training. Passing Employment Ready Certifications shows future employers that you not only completed the HVAC/R program, but you retained the knowledge that you learned in the process.

Competitive Advantage

When looking for a new job or are in line for a promotion, having passed certifications will bring you to the top of the resume stack. Employers consider certifications during the hiring and promotion process. Make the choice easier by completing HVAC certifications.

How Do You Prepare for these HVAC Certifications?

A great way to prepare for these certifications is to complete an HVAC/R program at CyberTex. We offer small classes, so you get personal attention from instructors. You will also get hands-on experience working on real HVAC systems. We will even help you find an apprenticeship after graduation. CyberTex offers a robust curriculum, important hands-on experience, and guidance from instructors to prepare for your new career as an HVAC technician.

For veterans, CyberTex offers veteran benefits for all programs including HVAC. Learn more about our veteran benefits at CyberTex.

HVAC Technician Diploma

Ready to start a rewarding career as an HVAC technician in Texas? With more than two decades of success in the medical, health, and IT sectors, we added an HVAC course to our curriculum. We are proud to announce that we have flexible day and evening classes for the HVAC program.

CyberTex’s HVAC program can be completed in as little as 11-month attending full-time with the flexibility of day and evening classes. You will be eligible to take the EPA – 608 certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency with our training.

Want to learn more? Contact us today.