Are you considering an HVAC career? Do you currently have your HVAC certification, but are ready to take it to the next level?

There is no doubt that the HVAC sector of the manufacturing industry is prospering. In fact, skilled HVAC technicians are needed now more than ever, with a projected 21 percent increase in jobs by 2022. Yet while these opportunities are abundant, the scope of an HVAC career may be limited.

As an HVAC technician, you will work exclusively with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. You may specialize particularly in installation, maintenance, or repair. You may assume the title of an installer, a contractor, or a mechanic. Your work may be entirely dedicated to refrigeration alone, or in combination with air and heating systems.

For some individuals, this type of specification is exactly what they look for when pursuing an HVAC career. Others, however, may want to stretch beyond the boundaries of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. They may want to become learned in other sectors of the manufacturing industry, as well. If you are one who is looking to expand beyond your initial HVAC training, then you may consider a enrolling in a college-level manufacturing training program.

Pursuing a manufacturing degree in addition to your HVAC certification could mean a momentous shift in your career path. With the proper education, you will learn the ins and outs of operations management, manufacturing supervision, lean manufacturing, green manufacturing, manufacturing logistics, industrial safety, production planning and control, quality management, and more. As you broaden your manufacturing skills, you will likely encounter many more opportunities and benefits than ever before. Here’s why:

The benefits of a manufacturing career are flourishing. Today, 90 percent of manufacturing workers receive medical benefits and 78 percent have retirement plans from their employers. In 2013, the average manufacturing worker earned an annual salary of $77,506 and for those with a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, it was even higher. Some manufacturing careers today exceed a $100,000 annual salary. Compare this to HVAC specialists, who earn a median salary of $44,630 per year.

While earnings are not everything, they certainly are telling of manufacturing’s success throughout the United States. With millions of jobs expected to open up within the next decade, it seems that the opportunities for qualified manufacturing professionals are endless. Rather than being limited to a handful of job titles, manufacturing graduates have great access to careers in industrial or mechanical engineering, production, chemical technology, manufacturing management, and more.

The challenge today is that there are not enough skilled workers to fill this need. The demand for quality manufacturers is so great that nearly 500,000 manufacturing jobs are being left unfilled. The manufacturing industry needs qualified manufacturing experts. The manufacturing industry needs you.

There is no doubt that HVAC training is a good start to a rewarding career, but it truly becomes great when hand-in-hand with a manufacturing degree. With a degree in manufacturing, you will not only gain a broader knowledge and skills base, but also qualify for more in-demand manufacturing careers.

To learn about Goodwin College’s many manufacturing degree programs, visit Goodwin.edu/majors/manufacturing today.