HVAC-R graduate Rafael Cardenas Jr. speaks on his experience at Coyne College and provides advice to prospective students. If you like working with your hands, have a mechanical aptitude and are looking for a career with a tremendous future, becoming a heating, air conditioning and refrigeration technician could be a perfect fit. As the world shifts to an increasingly energy-efficient, technology-based HVAC-R systems, and a construction industry driving new commercial and residential construction, will fuel the need for qualified technicians, installers and mechanics.
Hear more from Rafael and for more information on our HVAC and Refrigeration program visit us at https://www.coynecollege.edu/ or give us a call at 800.720.3990.
Raphael: My name is Raphael Cardenas Jr. I went to Coyne for the HVAC program. I’m a pretty good worker with my hands I would say. I just picked a different career to follow that had something do with my hands still. It was HVAC that I chose. I looked up different places and a lot of good reviews from Coyne. My brother-in-law actually attended Coyne and my cousin attended Coyne. Both of them are doing pretty good, so I figured if they could do it, I can do it.
Typical day, those night classes start at six. There was some classroom work, maybe getting over what the plan for the day was going to be. Then a lot in the labs, actually working on hands on with all the materials, all the stuff you’re going to learn. Most challenging part of classes is probably getting to class. That was really the most challenging part. Making it every day, trying to be every day. Especially working full time, trying to make it to class every day was the challenging part.
As far as class, I wouldn’t say it was challenging. Unless you push yourself to do it, or you’ll want to do it. You don’t pay attention, you’re really wasting time, but pay attention to the labs. Hands on stuff because that’s really going to help when you really out there in the field. You’re going to remember back to what you did back in class and it will really help you out.
