Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

The Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) program at Unitech Training Academy is designed to prepare students with the knowledge, technical skills, and applied competencies necessary for entry-level employment in residential and light commercial HVAC environments. Students develop competencies in system installation, maintenance, diagnostics, and repair, with a strong emphasis on electrical applications, refrigeration principles, and structured troubleshooting methodologies. Instruction integrates safety standards, environmental regulations, and hands-on training through lab-based simulations that mirror real-world service conditions. Students will develop the ability to interpret system performance, diagnose faults, and implement effective solutions. Graduates will be prepared to obtain EPA Section 608 Certification and work under licensed mechanical contractors, with foundational knowledge to pursue advanced licensing through the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors.

If you’re ready to work with your hands, solve real problems, and learn a trade that keeps homes and businesses running comfortably, Unitech’s Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) program is your starting point. Through technical instruction and practical lab training, you’ll build the skills needed to install, maintain, diagnose, and repair residential and light commercial HVAC systems.

HVAC work is about more than heating and cooling. You’ll learn how electrical components, refrigeration systems, controls, airflow, ductwork, and mechanical systems work together—and how to systematically track down problems when they don’t. From using diagnostic tools and reading wiring diagrams to troubleshooting system performance, your training is built around the kind of problem-solving used in the field.

Build practical skills for entry-level HVAC roles, including:

• Heating and cooling system operation and troubleshooting
• Electrical fundamentals, controls, and diagnostics
• Refrigeration principles and refrigerant service
• Air distribution, duct systems, and airflow
• Equipment installation, startup, and system performance
• Smart HVAC systems and emerging technologies
• EPA Section 608 Certification preparation

Put what you learn into practice through lab-based training designed around real-world HVAC service scenarios.

• GED or high school diploma required
• Traditional, in-person training
• Career Development available to support your job search
• Financial aid options available for those who qualify

Unitech’s HVAC program prepares graduates with foundational skills for entry-level work under licensed mechanical contractors. You’ll also prepare for EPA Section 608 Certification, an important credential for technicians who work with regulated refrigerants.

Ready to turn hands-on training into an HVAC career? Let’s get to work.

At Unitech Training Academy, you’re never just a number—and you’re never alone. No matter what program you’re in and whether you’re learning on campus in Louisiana or online across Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama, you’ll have real instructors, hands-on training, and a team that’s with you from day one. Our programs are designed to be efficient and focused, helping you build career-ready skills without wasting time.

Unitech Training Academy was granted a license by the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on April 24, 1997, beginning with one program, Certified Nursing Assistant. It is licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Regents and has been accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education since June 2003. Its main campus is in Lafayette, with branch campuses in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Houma, New Orleans and West Monroe.

Anyone interested in enrolling should contact the nearest campus to schedule an appointment. Requirements for admission:

• Be at least 17 years of age.
• Hold a valid high school diploma or equivalent (GED or valid home school credential).
• Successfully complete an admissions interview with appropriate personnel.
• HVAC applicants must pass the Wonderlic Entrance Exam with a score of 13 or higher.
• Foreign high school credentials must be verified as equivalent to a U.S. high school credential by an agency approved by the institution.
• Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency with official scores on TOEFL Essentials (8.5 or higher), TOEFL iBT (79 or higher), IELTS (6.5 or higher) or PTE Academic (53 or higher).

Catalog schedule. Day Session: Training will be delivered in-person from 8:30am until 1:30pm Monday through Friday. Estimated time to completion: 7.5 months.

By campus, the program page lists:

• Day (Lafayette): Monday - Friday on campus - 8:30am-1:30pm; 25 hours on campus weekly; Can be completed in as few as 8 months

Campuses. Enrollment for Unitech’s HVAC program is now open at the Lafayette campus location.

Format. Unitech’s traditional programs are held fully on campus, providing a structured, in-person learning environment led by experienced instructors. Students attend class at one of our physical campuses, where all lectures, labs, and hands-on training are completed during scheduled class hours. This format is ideal for those who thrive in face-to-face instruction and want direct access to classroom resources, tools, and real-time support. With a consistent routine and immersive, skill-based learning, traditional programs offer a focused path to building confidence and career-ready experience.

Tuition: $13,450.00; registration: $150.00; lab equipment: $300.00; total: $13,900.00.

The Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) program at Unitech Training Academy is designed to prepare students with the knowledge, technical skills, and applied competencies necessary for entry-level employment in residential and light commercial HVAC environments. Graduates will be prepared to obtain EPA Section 608 Certification and work under licensed mechanical contractors, with foundational knowledge to pursue advanced licensing through the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors.

Career Services. Unitech provides career services for all graduates who seek employment. Services may include employment orientation before graduation (interviews, resumes, appointments, dress, appearance and applications), help with applications and employment forms, efforts to provide interviews with prospective employers, contacts with employers to identify job openings, and information about employment opportunities with local, state and federal agencies.

The program pages describe how Career Services works with students:

• Admissions Tours and Early Engagement: Career Services partners with Admissions during campus tours to introduce support resources such as resume help and job placement assistance.
• Orientation Presentation: during orientation, students learn how Career Services will support them throughout their program.
• Midpoint Assessment and Career Planning: around the program midpoint, students complete a career assessment that coordinators use to guide personalized planning.
• Resume Development: resume building begins 60 days before graduation, with templates and one-on-one support.
• Mock Interviews and Professionalism Coaching: before clinicals, students take part in mock interviews and receive feedback.
• Professional Seminars and Career Development: students attend four seminars on job readiness, professionalism, and workplace expectations.

Unitech Training Academy cannot guarantee or promise employment; however, reasonable efforts will be made to assist the student in securing employment. Who will be hired depends on the employer, who is influenced by factors such as training, character, attendance/punctuality, personality traits, appearance, work ethic, dependability, and the ability to easily converse with others.

Learn how HVAC systems work—and what to do when they don’t. You’ll learn how heating, cooling, electrical, refrigeration, and airflow systems work together while building the skills to install, maintain, diagnose, and repair residential and light commercial equipment.

In Unitech’s HVAC program, you’ll build skills in:

• Diagnosing and troubleshooting heating and cooling systems
• Working with electrical components, controls, and wiring diagrams
• Understanding refrigeration systems and safe refrigerant practices
• Installing HVAC equipment, ductwork, and air distribution systems
• Using tools and diagnostic equipment to evaluate system performance

You’ll also explore smart HVAC technology, energy efficiency, building automation, and commercial systems while preparing for EPA Section 608 Certification.

At Unitech, HVAC training is about more than learning how systems work; it’s about preparing to put those skills to work. You’ll build technical know-how, diagnostic thinking, safe work practices, and the professionalism needed to take your first steps into the HVAC field.

Throughout the program, you’ll build experience with installation, electrical systems, refrigeration, troubleshooting, and system performance, developing the technical confidence and diagnostic thinking needed for entry-level HVAC work.

Your final courses bring those skills together with dedicated career readiness and practical skills preparation. You’ll develop your résumé and interviewing skills, explore employer expectations and workplace conduct, and demonstrate your HVAC knowledge through practical performance assessments.

With support from your instructors and Unitech’s Career Development team, you’ll finish your training prepared to pursue entry-level HVAC opportunities working under licensed mechanical contractors and take your next step in the trade.

At Unitech Training Academy, you can finish our HVAC program in as few as 8 months! This traditional, in-person program combines technical instruction with practical lab training to prepare students for entry-level work in residential and light commercial HVAC. Across 750 hours of training, you’ll spend 390 hours in shop/lab settings building and applying the skills you learn in the classroom.

This is training built around the work you’ll do in the field. Through practical lab applications and simulated service conditions, you’ll use HVAC tools and equipment, troubleshoot system issues, test performance, and learn how to work toward the right solution.

As graduation approaches, you’ll put your skills to the test through practical performance assessments and prepare for EPA Section 608 Certification – bringing together what you’ve learned before taking your next step into the HVAC workforce.

From day one through graduation and beyond, Unitech’s instructors and Career Development team are in your corner.

Orientation and support. All new students complete an orientation session before the start of class; orientations are conducted online and students are allotted two days to complete them. Instructors offer individualized tutoring on request, with before- and after-school assistance available.

Graduation. Candidates for graduation complete all program requirements with a minimum GPA of 2.00 within 1.5 times the standard program length, meet the minimum skill requirements, complete any required externship, return school property and fulfill all financial obligations. A diploma is awarded on completion.