Whether you’re starting a brand new career, or making a career change, the transition can be challenging. You’re doing something that you’ve never done before, and that’s difficult for everyone. At The Arkansas Construction Education Foundation, we understand that our program participants are people that love to work with both their hands and their head, and know that the best way to set them up for success is to let them complete their training in their own communities. That’s why we operate multiple training centers throughout Arkansas to provide quality vocational training in Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Building Maintenance, and Industrial Maintenance.

With so much discussion of high-tech careers taking place these days, many people might not realize that the demand for skilled labor is currently at an all-time high. In fact, new opportunities in the construction industry are continuing to rise, as well as the median income for construction careers. And the good news is that a construction apprenticeship can be completed in 2-4 years!

There’s an old joke about Arkansas weather having three seasons: January, February, and summer. There’s another one about Arkansans running their heating and air conditioning at different times during the same day. Whatever the case, we can all agree that our household comfort systems are extremely important. As anyone who’s ever had an air conditioner quit working in the middle of summer will tell you, they would pay almost anything to someone who can get it restored quickly. If you’re an individual who’s looking for a high-paying career, it definitely gets you thinking. In fact, According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov) new openings in the HVAC industry will increase by 21 percent through 2022, and there are presently thousands of unfilled HVAC jobs available throughout the United States. HVAC technicians earn a median income of nearly $44,000 annually, with some earning over $70,000 a year.