Start your heating and cooling career with PHCC Academy of San Diego. Choose a state-approved HVAC apprenticeship where you get paid while you learn, take hands-on HVAC classes, or prep for the certifications employers ask for, starting with EPA 608.
Our next HVAC class schedule hasn't been published yet. Join the waitlist and you'll be one of the first to know when enrollment opens.
San Diego needs air conditioning almost all year, which makes it a strong place to build an HVAC career. At PHCC Academy, you can start one of three ways.
Work for a licensed contractor and get paid while you take classroom hours. This is the path to journeyman status.
About the apprenticeship →Hands-on classes in electrical, refrigerants, heating, airflow, and California codes. Short courses run from a weekend to a few weeks.
See what you'll learn →Prep for EPA 608, the federal certification every tech who handles refrigerant needs, plus guidance on NATE and the C-20 license.
About EPA 608 →An HVAC apprenticeship lets you earn a paycheck while you train. You work for a licensed contractor and take classroom hours on the side. PHCC Academy's program is registered with the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, so your training counts toward statewide journeyman certification.
A full California HVAC apprenticeship, with yearly classroom hours set by the state. You finish at journeyman status.
Apprentices typically start at 40% to 50% of journeyman wages.
Pay goes up as you progress, reaching close to full journeyman pay by the end of the program.
Earn instead of owe. Traditional trade school means paying tuition before you earn anything. As an apprentice, you're paid from your first day on the job.
Our HVAC classes are built around what San Diego employers expect on day one. Instructors also cover local codes, the local job market, and the systems common in this region.
Circuits, wiring, and controls.
Heat transfer, safe refrigerant handling under federal law, and cooling diagnostics.
Furnaces, heat pumps, and boilers.
How air moves, duct sizing, and indoor air quality.
State and local requirements, permits, and inspections.
Certification prep and workshops that run from a weekend to a few weeks.
If you work on air conditioning or refrigeration equipment, you need EPA 608. Federal law requires every technician who handles refrigerants to hold this certification. PHCC Academy offers EPA 608 prep courses to help you pass on your first try.
To earn it, you pass an EPA-approved exam given by an EPA-approved certifying organization. Every exam includes a Core section on refrigerant rules and safety, plus a section for the type of equipment you'll work on.
Servicing small appliances.
Servicing or disposing of high- and very high-pressure equipment, like most home and commercial AC systems.
Servicing or disposing of low-pressure equipment, such as some large chillers.
Covers all three types. Most technicians earn Universal certification.
Read the official certification rules from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Want to be notified when our next EPA 608 prep course opens? Join the waitlist.
NATE is an independent certification. It isn't required by law, but most San Diego employers prefer it.
With enough field experience after your apprenticeship, you can earn a C-20 license. It lets you run your own HVAC business and bid on projects over $500.
Typical yearly pay for HVAC technicians in San Diego.
For senior technicians and C-20 license holders.
Local demand is extra strong thanks to new housing, year-round cooling, and California's shift from gas heat to electric heat pumps.
PHCC San Diego has served local contractors for over 100 years.
Registered with the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards. Your training counts toward journeyman certification.
Our members include established HVAC contractors who hire.
Built around what employers expect from new techs.
Choose a full apprenticeship or short courses, whichever fits your goals.
Instructors know San Diego codes, the local job market, and regional systems.
Browse all Academy courses, including backflow and lead safety certification.
Our next HVAC class schedule hasn't been published yet. Email juri@phccsd.org to join the waitlist and you'll be one of the first to know when enrollment opens.
It depends on your path. A full California HVAC apprenticeship takes four to five years and ends at journeyman status. Short courses, like certification prep and workshops, run from a weekend to a few weeks.
Traditional HVAC school is classroom training you pay for up front. An HVAC apprenticeship combines paid work for a licensed contractor with classroom hours, so you earn while you learn.
Yes. Apprentices are paid from day one, typically starting at 40% to 50% of journeyman wages, with raises every 6 to 12 months.
EPA 608 is a federal certification required for every technician who handles refrigerants. There are four types: Type I (small appliances), Type II (high-pressure), Type III (low-pressure), and Universal (all three). PHCC Academy offers prep courses to help you pass on your first try.
No. EPA 608 certification does not expire, so there's no renewal.
Most registered California apprenticeships require a high school diploma or GED and that you're at least 18. Pre-apprentice programs are available for younger applicants or those still in school.
NATE is not required by law, but most San Diego employers prefer it.
At PHCC Academy, 9920 Scripps Lake Drive, Suite #102, San Diego, CA 92131.
Our next HVAC class schedule hasn't been published yet. Join the waitlist and we'll let you know as soon as enrollment opens.
Join the WaitlistQuestions? Contact us, email academy@phccsd.org, or call (858) 693-3855.
