Is this a good first HVAC job, or should I just use it to get experience?
I'm 22 and just started my first residential HVAC maintenance/service job about three weeks ago. Before this, I was a carpenter, so I came into HVAC with no field experience (I do have my EPA Universal certification). Also I'm located in the DMV area.
I spent about 3-4 weeks training as a helper riding with experienced techs, and now I'm on my own. I just got my own service van, gas card, and company tablet. I've honestly learned a ton already, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. The techs I trained with also spoke very highly of me.
After I finish my own maintenance calls for the day, I'm also allowed to go shadow senior technicians on repair calls using my company van so I can continue learning diagnostics and repairs.
My pay is:
- $18/hour during training.
- $15/hour once I got my own van.
- 10% commission on sales and maintenance services like coil cleans and similar items.
I'm trying to figure out if this is a good pay structure for someone just starting out or if it's on the low side. I know I'm new, so I don't expect top pay.
My questions are:
- Is $15/hour plus 10% commission a fair starting pay?
- Can you actually make good money with this type of pay structure?
- If you were in my position, would you stay for a couple of years to learn as much as possible, or look elsewhere after getting some experience? and how long should I plan on staying here?
Overall, I really enjoy the job and I'm learning a lot. I'm just trying to figure out if this is a solid place to build my career or mainly a stepping stone.