N.A.T.E Certification do you need it???? 

I have been N.A.T.E certified for years. I have never had a customer that knew what it meant or cared. I have had to explain to several customers that my name is not Nate though.

I waited 12 years to take the test, because I wanted to feel prepared to take the test. I just got NATE certified 3 years ago and believe me when I say the test is not easy. I’m an HVAC lead installer and take pride of every single job I’ve done. I like what NATE stands for and that’s a good way to describe myself. North American Technical Excellence.

if you have the experience then how hard is it to get certified. Shouldn't be hard so why not get it. Getting certified shows that you are willing to make the sacrifice to go above and beyond. A person with only experience is limited in his mobility within the industry. A person with book smarts (degree plus certifications) will eventually get the experience and his mobility will be twice as fast as those who only rely on experience.

Great video Ralph, and I strongly agree. It's over rated in my opinion. I've got 20 years in HVAC and found myself involved in a lawsuit. Last year this customer bought a house and the sellers had a NATE certified tech over to inspect the furnace and AC and signed off on it. This year she called me because her neighbors had recommended me and what do I find? This old house from the 50s had a transite chimney. If you've never heard of it, they were used extensively in the Minneapolis/St Paul area in the 50s and 60s and it's a mix of asbestos and cement. Due to condensation above the roof line due to the extreme cold up here, after about 50 years they turn to mush and collapse. They stopped being installed in the 70s when the dangers of asbestos became widely known. The previous owners just abandoned it and installed a high efficiency furnace and power vent water heater. Somebody decided to cap the transite chimney in the attic, cut a hole in the wall in each bedroom in the story and a half, connect registers to the transite and connect the old transite chimney tee to the plenum and turn it into a supply duct to get more air to the top 2 bedrooms, which are her kid's rooms and both registers were blowing straight at their beds. Now she's suing the NATE certified tech and the other company who signed off that everything was OK and my paperwork was subpoenaed and I will have to testify in court in the future. In case you couldn't guess, I'm NOT NATE certified.

Generally, NATE certs are a tool for a business to use to leave the impression that their techs are proficient. Similar to the ASC cert for autos. It is no guarantee of good service because, as you say, non certified techs can be as good or better as any and certification does not mean quality. However, expect some type of certification to be required as time goes by. GFM

I don't mind the concept of NATE, but it annoys the piss out of me that I'm required to maintain my NATE certification, even though I'm a RSES Certificate Member... There are tons of NATE certified "technicians" that are completely worthless. You would be very hard pressed to find a RSES CM or CMS that doesn't know his shit.

When I have been asked if I was NATE certified, I always say yes. This is because my name is NATE and I have a birth certificate! I show them my shirt and right above the pocket it say's NATE, how many more times do I have to have NATE on my shirt? I have been in this trade over 25 years now. I think to continue your education is great because technology is advancing so quickly, at the same time if you have been to a school to learn the trade than you had to test and pass to get certified. On one hand I think NATE is about the money it generates for whoever trademarked it, than on the other hand there are a lot of hacks that were never properly taught and for this reason it has credibility. The thing is if the general public hears that only NATE certified people are the ones to use than they can be led into a false sense of security thinking that only those techs are qualified. If an employer requires it than it should be required that said employer pays for it, if it is not state required such as an electrical license in a lot of states now. As anyone knows that once you learned the basics such as theory and application in school you really learn the trade when your out in the field. There is no substitute for experience!

I just failed the NATE test for the second time, im a year green in service & another 4 years as a Comercial/residential installer. Im trying to switch over while doing both & trying to get this! Don't be hating, its good to have to separate yourself from others & close the experience gap a little bit.

Hi Ralph! Great video! I am NATE certified in AC, H.P., and gas furnace. I didnt decide to get it until after I had been in the field for 10 or so years. I think it is a good sales tool however, I am by no means better than the next guy just because I have a cert. The thing that bothers me the most is guys can take tgis test without ever putting one tool to any HVAC equipment! Hands on training is the very best schooling you can get in our industry! You can learn more from an AC than a book!PJ

I have watched a lot of your videos and have learned a lot from you. As a recent Grad of tech school it was a requirement to take the NATE. We spent about 50/50 class and LAB, I earned my NATE certification, in air to air heat pump . Also after school I spent 3 months interning at Osceola county schools on everything from RTU, split systems, mini split systems, to chillers and wasn't intimidated and felt confident in my skills. I once watched a respected tech try to load more refrigerant into a chiller that wasn't needed, and the following day go out to the same chiller with 4 recovery tanks with a different tech and recover it. I mean you could read the sub cool and superheat and I had said something to tech number one but he didn't want to hear any of my school boy learning . I say school boy Im almost 50 and back in trade school, Am I better than someone who has 25 years of experience in some cases Yes. However I do stand behind what you are saying experience is the best Teacher. but technology is ever changing in the A/C world. Is my NATE important to me? yeah its a pretty damn hard test to pass. so im proud I past it. and on my nate page they have notifications on CEH and keep you up to date on classes and with new tech. I respect your opinion and your a proven contractor I believe you know your trade, I just went to a trade school after years of rough ins and trims to get into the service side of the business and with my NATE they paid me 4 dollars over starting pay .

Credentialism will bite ya. This is what I look for: 1. Evidence of self-directed professional development. 2. Quality of experience, not only years 3. Autodidact, resourceful and humble personality

I have to correct you on a minor detail. Trade school will set you up with EPA Universal, and your ICE certs. From what everyone tells me, and the literature out there you aren't allowed to take the NATE until you have a MINIMUM of 2 years of field experience. I wont pretend that would make me qualified, but 2 years vs. 0 years is worth pointing out.

You know I agree with you about the wearing of a patch to say you're qualified or if you're not qualified. To me it's the time behind the journeyman's belt that makes it or breaks it. I hold a Master Electricians license in the state of Texas and once a year like you I have to to take a C.E. course to refresh my memory and to let me know of any changes in the NEC. An old Journeyman I knew used to get out his coffee thermos and a ladder to set the cup on and from there he would make up a panel and did a really masterful job of it. His experience from years of doing it paid off, compared to some of the hot-shot electricians we had that thought they knew everything because they went to night school. Experience you can see it in the eyes of the person and wearing a patch saying you're qualified may impress some people but I go by what someone can do not what they talk about that they can do. Now a days the only problem I have with some of the people that I hire is they can't seem to stay off of their mobile phones. But I only tell them once that I'm paying them to work not to be on their phone. When I was a journeyman we didn't have mobile phones and we got along quite well without them, at least we were more productive., because we spent our time working and paying attention to our job, not off in the corner hiding smoking a cigarette and talking on a phone. If they were paying someone wages then they would understand. God Bless America

"Thank You", thank you very much. GREAT presentation, and directly to the point...

Kinda like a lawyer who just passed the BAR exam. Doesn't mean you want him defending you for murder.

There is no substituted for experience.

I am NATE certified. But after 10+ years in the field. But I want to say I could have summed up what you said in just a couple minutes. This topic applies to just about every trade, in every industry. Just like a food handler, can get a certification or a food handlers card. It's not a very complicated subject to be spending a dozen minutes on. And although you just kept trying to repeat yourself about how you're not a hater on certifications, I haven't heard you say one good thing about it. My advice is after a few years in the field, advance career and get as many certifications as you can. They also help you learn. And there's nothing wrong with continued education. So that speaks volumes... And when I help my less experienced teammates that work at another company on the phone. It's because I'm doing it to make that person a better tech. I don't work for that company. It's kind of an egotistical way to look at it though. You say you don't need a badge to prove you're a good technician, but you wear three magnetic jumpers around your neck. lol

After retiring from the fire department I went to HVAC Tech school. It was a great school but I am also a FCC certified electronics technician and studied building construction in the fire service as well as multiple DIY projects in plumbing, electrical and construction. I passed the N.A.T.E. Core and Heat Pump Exams. I liken it to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians certifications. You can get certified with minimal actual experience and have almost no idea of how to actually do the job. I got my NREMT Paramedic certification after 15 years of actual experience and training doing the job. Same with NATE certification. It's nice to have especially if you have the schooling with hands on equipment training but it's not the same as actually working in the field. In school everything is set up nice and relatively clean and there are multiple sets of equipment to use. In the field you may literally be stepping into a hornets nest to fix a system. So even if you are N.A.T.E. certified, there is still a lot more to the job that isn't (can't) be covered in tech school with the time constraints. The program I was in was originally 2 years but was compressed to one year to accommodate the demand of local employers for techs.

The first company I started with 7 years ago. Pushed NATE on us so they could advertise as having "Nate certified techs". So they helped us train for the tests. I got certified in heat pumps and air distribution. And i'll be the first to admit, I passed the tests , got my patches , but really didnt understand air distribution that well. They taught us to take a test, instead of really teaching us the real deal with duct design, static, friction loss, proper velocity, etc. and the good stuff that I am trying to catch up on today. I personally think its a shame and Nate is after the money. The tests are not cheap. In short I agree with you, Nate isn't all that.

I totally agree with this video! I been working in HVAC now 30 years plus and I never needed a nate certification, there isn't any state requirement that it's needed, unless someone posts a official document saying there is a requirement. Now that I was planning on moving to North Carolina I see a lot of job listings requiring nate.

Hi, my name is Danny from El Paso Texas. I'm about to graduate from a tech school (HVAC). I agree with you, there's no need for a NATE certification. The only problem that I see is that most of the company's in this area ( south west of Texas) they don't give us on opportunity in the field. They always say that they need 2-5 years of experience. In my point of view experience is the key for this field, but how do we get it if they don't give us on opportunity to proof are skills?

I truly believe that you have to have experience to pass/earn the NATE certificate, you can be all book smart and take the test and pass it, but when the time comes and you go to apply it, you will get stuck, or it will take you longer to service/repair that unit. Yes, NATE is just a certificate, but it reassures that you know what your are doing, both technically and manually. I'm not NATE certified yet, but, I'm taking the classes thru IHACI and the gas company here in So Cal, it is free (to the student) and the instructor is great, again......he has EXPERIENCE, so, guys, if you can, get it.

Ralf I teach these guys at one of these high profile HVAC colleges and I have been involved HVAC for 30 years ....................and hands down some of the best information I use to try and teach and show these guys are the videos you and others on here provide because you can NOT recreate real world work environment in a class room but I can teach them proper theory from the books...............so to me having both a base of book knowledge and( real world) work experience is what makes a better mechanic................now with all this said .........give me the guy with the 20 years of field experience over one of my best student just out of school any day ................and like you said everyday is a school day in this industry and after being involved in this industry for so many years I still learn thing from these videos ...........so a big thanks goes out to you and the rest of the guys making these videos .

All true. Sadly to some extent. If you think back to when you got in the business, did you have greater flexibility? Of course. A great example is the aircraft mechanic. In the 1930s if you could hold a wrench, you were a mechanic. Now, you do nothing without certification for that particular operation. You sign the log, and are responsible for following procedure as given by the manufacturer. To a lesser extent, that is coming to HVAC. GFM

NATE: No Actual Technical Experience

Hey GFM, thanks for the input!!!! It's always appreciated. Your right as time goes by we will have to have some sort of certification to do our daily job. This is a double edged sword though. It's good if there is a way to tell the good from the bad. But it's bad because the more people involved the more red tape therefore the harder it is to do the job. So till then I'm going to keep on doing what I do.

Thanks man. I felt this way on my own, took the words out of my mouth.

I have stuck with the HVAC the longest and like it the best and hopefully get healed up enough to do at least 15 more years, I just love the new updated tools and how they make my job go a little better I really enjoy doing this work and I always enjoy a good challenge, the troubleshooting is the best part for me, it is very exciting for me to see what you youtubers are going to show next on HVAC, no joke if you or anyone you know have any reading mat. let me know thanks for sharing!

I got lucky and was hired on with a Government contractor just out of tech school. Worked for the first contract for 6 years and then the new company with the same contract for 9 years, I became a Senior Tech and went to school to be Niagara AX BAS certified, I mostly work commercial and top tech in my shop. I have not obtained a NATE unfortunately because the company never brought up the fact nor they concern themselves in doing so for us Techs in my shop. Finding a job requiring NATE with me having over 15 years experience difficult to find a job with big companies and some smaller ones at a new location I want to move to. Looking into possibly having to get my own NATE in order to have that piece of paper to hopefully gain more big job opportunities I guess. Great video ty

Is NATE actually saying that? I hadn't seen or heard of it, personally. I wouldn't be too keen on the idea, and I'm in the middle of ACQUIRING said certifications. I'm not trying to corner the market. I'm not trying to use regulations to limit my competition. This has nothing to do with anyone else at ALL, as far as I'm concerned. I don't want people who are competent but not certified to loose their jobs to me. This is ALL for me, ABOUT me. /I/'ve chosen to pursue further expertise, and I like the idea of having something semi-tangible (certification) demonstrating that commitment. It's not for everyone. It DOES appear to be for me. Screw "Don't use them if they aren't certified." The whole point is to further hone my value as a tech. If the only way a NATE certification can run in the wild is after you've taken every other dog out of the hunt, what the hell use was it to start with?

I too will never pay for a patch. The cert itself is pointless to me, but the structured training is what holds the value. A green tech doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. Having a little exposure to things he hasn’t come across in the field yet, should help him catch on quicker. The pressure to maintain the cert by taking continuous training is always good too. I prefer RU-vid university.

He got a point, but everybody has a different story.If you do construction you can say sheet metal & ductboard and the company do you work for it's so busy= don't bother.Another case if you change of company in the same town too, 'cause supply houses and maybe everybody else know who you are.But If you've or you're looking or moving out of state for something better, should be helpfull.Cause the new boss or jobfinder app does't know about your experience.It's up to you!

Cowboy Jim. This is a great point. I've got over 11 certifications. I work on CRANES for a living. I've been doing this type of work for over 30 years. Depending on the type of crane that I'm working on, Depends on the type of skill level that will be needed. Before all this certification BULL S--T started, WE were called ACE TECHS. I was thought by the old school way,(HANDS) on.I had an older person teach me & plus what I learned on my own. No school! No training! Besides learning the new systems that was coming out,which we had to figure out our self's. There was no answers on anything like we got today. (THE-ONLY-THING) that was missing was all of the (SAFETY) that was needed in troubleshooting & repairing the equipment that it was that you were working on. I have been lucky in my 30 plus years in the business. But with that being said, All of the training & safety training is a BIG plus. But as far as that being said. YOU can't take away all of the years experience of someone who knows just how everything works & to fix it right the first time. I'm 55 years old. My company is hiring these young men in just because they can pass a test & get there certification, Not knowing anything about the real world. Plus on top of that there paying them as much or more then what I (MAKE). Then want me to show them the ropes. I myself think only (1) person should be certified which would cover the customer & the employer & insurance. But the bottom line is, A peace of paper OR a patch don't make you anymore smarter. But with my line of work, I have to be certified or I can't even get on the customers property.( Now why do you think there's so meany call backs & even worse people getting hurt or KILLED) Sorry about carrying on,But you don't need to be certified to do a job that you know how to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just got NATE certified after 25 years in the business. Took the test and passed first time. It really doesn't make a tech qualified. Field experience does.

100% agree brother! Someone out of school, regardless of the certifications they have, doesnt know crap. See it every day in the field. It gives them the book knowledge but no hands on. OJT (On The Job Training) is the best certification.

I consider myself a 17 year student. I'm not short of education. 2 years of sheet metal, 2 years of electrical theory and refrigeration, 2 years of acca manual J, D, S, H, T & QI. I wanted a way to separate myself from the next tech. NATE Certification gave me that chance. The Efficiency Analyst Senior Technician exam was written in 2004. There are currently 75 Sr Technicians in the country. I passed the Senior Tech exam Jan 5th, 2012. I recommend - take the exam. Challenge yourself. Id #7498504

I feel like you it's no need to pay all that money for a patch that you have to keep paying to renew. I believe in experience and hands on

No Actual Technical Experience

It didnt make you better than the guy that had been doing it for 20 years, but its another notch under your belt. NATE is basically a tool for not the customer, its for the employer. It helps the employer see how serious you are about the trade and if they should invest in you. Common sense tells you that a guy in the field with 20 years would be better. But the NATE guy is just trying to build his resume. I wouldn't blow the NATE thing off. Hell go get it. In the Army we always encouraged guys to get Certificates and Education. Nothing wrong with that.

In our area many homeowners know about NATE. I can't count how many jobs we have got that the NATE certification was the deciding factor for the homeowner. Our bids are higher but what they cared about was the piece of paper. Yes there are plenty of people who can fix anything that are not NATE certified. The homeowner gets piece of mind when a third party verifies the Tech knows what he is doing. If we as an industry could build a good reputation we could begin to actually make the money we deserve.

i agree that takes years to get the experience & knowledge after that training from manufacturer equipment also very helpful to have Refrigerating System Operating Engineer {Q01}

Bravo! These NATE outfits are the first step to AMA/doctor-type restrictions on the supply of practising HVAC talent.

Hey Robert, I did go to school but I worked for a service co. as I was going. I learned a lot by being in school and working at the same time. I was just starting out and had a really good boss and worked with some really good guy's, they helped mold me into the tech I am today.

Good video I agree I hold a state license in Tx. OJT means more to me . Training is also a good thing to keep up with the changes. Have a blessed day Pat

"That's trig! That's NOT math!" said the college graduate. (true story) A degree means you are *supposed* to know x, not that you do.

Great video. I have been in the industry myself 18 years. Most NATE certified techs I know are book smart people, but can't back it up in performance in the field. Also, most of the NATE certified tech I have known were cocky and arrogant, because they wear the NATE patch.

Hey Zack and Ralph................that makes 3 of us !!!! They can Grandfather me in if they have a mind and desire to. I have friends who are by requirement and some who used to be. Just not my thought pattern. Great video Ralph. Take care, Brett

Let me start by saying i love watching the videos you and Steve lav produce but i think with the N.A.T.E. certification it is a stamp of knowledge on most current systems not the competence of doing your job. I am retiring from the Army and start school in HVAC-R this coming Aug and i know i wont be the best Tech when i start out but the N.A.T.E. certification is kinda like saying "this guy knows what right is supposed to look like" even if it takes us 3 hours to diagnose a blown capacitor. anyhow just my opinion keep doing the videos i learn a lot from you. BTW do you think you can do a video on Reference material / tools a student at tech school should not go cheap on a first purchase?

I have worked next to some "NATE" Cert. Techs who where unable to diagnose/repair systems. I have the piece of paper, have had hp/gas heat since 2008. Sadly it is the way of the future on "Energy Star" Homes, or any type of Govt. Work.

I totally agree with you!!!! I wish RU-vid was around when I went to school. When I did go it isn't like it is today. The teacher really cared. He left as soon as it started getting business like.

Nate is a waste. in the commercial and industrial side, the don't know what it is and they don't care.

Good vid! I worked in an atlantic city hotel for 5 years doing hvac work mainly heatpumps and am looking for more field work/service work to gain more experience. But seems like there are only installer jobs out there. I occasionally see The n.a.t.e. requirements .I am paving my own way without refrences etc. So I guess any type of cert to dress your resume up is a plus.

If you're the kind of technician that doesn't want to learn and better yourself then no you do not need it. You will make plenty of money for yourself. If you want to learn and you want to better yourself then yes you definitely want to be NATE certified. I guarantee you will make more money than the guy that's not NATE certified. It's all about yourself and what you want to make work for you. And it's really that simple PERIOD

I agree with him but the point of certification is giving someone a career a better life. Some old schoolers see young guys who are certified as a threat no that shouldn't be the case. In fact youngsters learn from them. The point is everyone wants to make money but making money the right way better than the wrong way. Getting certified gives them that extra insurance. I'm not N.A.T.E certified so no ones going to hire me unless I prove to them that I can do the job and that's where N.A.T.E comes in.

It's just another way a third party company that are collectively testing technicians. No matter what school you went too. No home owner or small company has time to check school quality. I agree with your point of view. However it is a necessary evil. It the same crap for auto mechanics called ASE. Which I have acquired certifications in powertrain, brakes and suspension. So, I will play or should say pay for the NATE testing just to look good on paper.

The other day this guy at the supply house kind of put me down because I was not a NATE Certified, I though it was very carppy of him, but like you said that want they tech all this people just to be jerks.

Hey skkip, I don't have a problem with the EPA certification since we all have to have it. Byt just cause you have one doesn't mean you know how to put it in a unit. One day we won't have to have it because you don't have to have it with 410A.

As the owner of an HVAC company I find myself valuing actual experience over any certification. It's probably good to have, but it truly has nothing to do with the capabilities of the tech.

I didnt think people even brought nate up anymore.All the best techs at my company never even had nate

There's nothing wrong with having a NATE certification. However there are lots of good technicians that are not certified. Plus being NATE certified doesn't make you any more honest.

Getting NATE certified really doesn't mean much to us in the field but to a customer any certs sounds good and helps build more trust that the tech knows what they are doing (whether they do or do not). that would be the only reason I reccon any company would require their employees to get it. I have been in the field for 8 years now and have noticed that most people that brag about their NATE are jokes when it comes down to business. Nontheless I wouldn't mind getting NATE certified just to say I have it lol

Hey brennanac, your comments keep getting flagged as spam, don't know why. your right anyone can read a book and pass a test, it's knowing how to use what you've learned.

"You can be as book smart as you want to, but that doesn't necessarily mean you can do the job!" WELL SAID!!!! I fix engineers' mistakes on a daily basis.

you all need to fully understand that while ,yes the industry changes every year , the nate test questions date back to the 80s the test in and of itself is out of date, so for them to say you need to renew it every couple years , they should follow their own advice and up date the tests every couple years

I am with you guys, never been and don't plan on it as long as I don't have to be, I do have my epa cert. but that is it, I think I have the best out there hands on learning and experience, I worked along side of a guy that went to school and 9 out of 10 customers would request for me to come to do the job, his schooling didn't teach him much and he had way more call backs than me, he was young and has a long way to go yet, hands on experience beets a badge or piece of paper every time, thanks!

ive been in heating and cooling for 20 years and i agree with you 100 percent i watched alot of exellent techs just walk away because they need to be nate certified i live in des moines and our dealer wont let us be an authorized dealer until were nate cert

Too much confidence on NATE. It'sll all about Minds On and hands on If you get the Minds On, hands on will come with TIME and using minds on over and over but if you don't have the minds on Onlly experience it's all muscle memory, Constantly reading related materials to refresh and update Takes a lot of effort Don't have to be school But on your own takes a lot of WILL.

Learn something new everyday, such a good point.

If you cannot pass the NATE exam with a minimum score required (70%) you should not be in the field doing HVAC/R work. Plain and simple. The NATE exam is a good gauge to know where you are technically however if you don't have NATE certification it doesn't mean you can't do the work, it means you aren't certified by NATE. If you do have it, it means you passed the test and are qualified according to NATE's testing standard's. I was in the field 20 years before this became "chic" to have and I took the test without studying a lick and passed HP, Furnaces, and Air Distribution portions with over 95% in all categories. If you know what you are doing you will pass easily and what harm is a NATE certification going to bring you? None.

Hey Gary, I have to agree with you I can't see paying the BBB $500 to have my name put on their sight. Seems like I'm doing pretty good just by word of mouth.

Hey Zach, after reading the comments I'm glad I'm not alone on how I feel about NATE and all of the other scams out there!!!!

I totally agree with you. Merry Christmas!

Hey Joseph, reading your comment makes me want to go take the test!!!! The only reason I don't is because I don't want to support a company that tells people to only use NATE guy's. Nothing wrong with education. Its really the only way to stay on top!!!! I may go against my beliefs and look into it. Sounds like a Challenge to me!!!!!

Hey how's it going buddy my name is Robert and I'm in NYC, im glad I came across your video because I'm currently trying to obtain a ged and am very interested in a HVAC technician career.i just don't know the right steps to take.i wanted to take the Nate online HVAC program or some type of other training that I can afford.tuitions are too much and I have a child I'm supporting but sorry to get to the point my father has a friend who is a chief engineer in HVAC and would be willing to take me on as a unpaid apprenticeship until I can get into a union but in your opion after I get my ged what steps should I take and again sorry for the large passage have a good 4th of July and thanks

It's got nothing to do with being NATE certified or not, it's just a matter of having it in you. If you are smart and you have this in you you will be good with or without out, just that when u do have a NATE certification most companies will pay you better and you might know more of the theory itself rather than comparing with someone who it great hands on but won't be able to explain how many btus it take 1lb of ice at 32f to go to 220f. Hands on and logic are one thing theory is another completely different thing. I'm 25 years old I only have 6 years of experience and it's been a few times in which I have to train people who have over 30 years experience. how is that possible. Maybe they just don't have it in them yet when I talk to them they seem like the smartest guys ever

Hey Robert, I'll look around to see what I have. Keep doing what your doing and you will be fine.

I have NATE in heatpump service & installer.. and there is one thing I can say,, anyone can pass a test if they study hard enough!!! That does not mean they can apply it in the field!!!!!!!!! Been doing this for 20 years and the NATE has got me one job thats it So for me its not needed.

Yes, this is the beginning of trade-guild formation which will end up restricting entry into the trade and forcing up prices on the consumer (like doctors, lawyers, plumbers, electricians...)

ok so I got one for you...I did trade school , I did 3 years of union school , I went to frequency drive school, I have over 30 years a hvac tech, and I am still doing hvac, I am thinking about relocating to charlotte now I am not going to get hired with all my qualifications because I don't have nate smh, thats nonsense.

Hey Ace, everyday is a school day and I also am still learning my friend!!!!! There are those who like to like to flash the nate card around to make themselves look like they are better then everyone else.But there will come a day when they come up on that call that 4 people have been on that can't be figured out and it won't matter if they have a NATE card or not. Something to be said about experience!!!!!

Hey TandN, come 2014 make sure your are registered to vote. We have got to clean house on both sides of the isle. We have to clean out the corruption in D.C. and in our states. Hope you agree.

I know N.A.T.E was designed to improve the quality of the tech's out there and I agree something need's to be done, The problem with it is once they take the test there is no Q/A on the job's these guy's do when they are in the field. In order for a certification to work correctly there has to be some sort of inspection after the job is done just like in the aircraft field. I see and hear horror stories about jobs done incorrectly from these co.'s who are promoting themselves as N.A.T.E.

Im nate certified too... because i am Nate shhhhh lol i got my universal and im always learning, im in apartments right now that all have r22/nu22 or mo99 well those are easy enough to work on for me, i just did my first r410a system yesterday, i made the mistake of overcharging it, but i brought it back down and its subcool is perfect now, now that ive made that mistake, i wont make it again, i dont need a certification that says im smarter than another person, i wouldnt mind getting it, but im quite confident in my own abilities to learn from my mistakes and others and thats what i love about this job, im learning something every day, im 24 and i feel like a smartass sometimes but i know when to put my head down and call someone to say im stumped and i need help, and thank god my boss is nice enough that when i make mistakes hes not gonna yell at me for them, he just says he did that before and now i bet you wont either, and i think thats how everyone should work, of course some people arent honest when they work and take advantage, well ill tell you one thing... your damn right im taking advantage, taking advange of a perfectly good class at my place of work that has a good teacher who can admit when he's wrong when and if i call him out, and good enough pay to get me by, im the youngest guy on call and it took awhile for the other guys on our 5 properties we go on call for to be used to the fact that i know halfway what im doing.

Right on. Never been NATE certified, never will be. Good video.

I've been in the business 21 years and I am NATE certified.. It's just a marketing tool, some manufacturers require dealers to have majority of techs NATE certified. I only got certified for a pay raise. I've only been asked one time by a customer, experience trumps NATE every time

Hey PJ, I've been thinking since I read this comment that the NATE class should only be able to be taken after so many years in the field. That would stop my compliant with them!!!!! That won't ever happen though. I'm not against someone taking the course, I'm against companies pushing 6 month tech's as top notch just because they are NATE certified. All is fair in business though even when it's not true.

1) No certs + experience > certs + no experience. 2) equal experience + certs = equal experience + no certs Situation 2 goes to work ethic and how well you sell yourself in the interview.

All it is, is a money scheme. You pay money to go through tech school. Get your certifications. Then you get told by some pompas company that you aren't a good tech unit you have THEIR training... For a price of course.

Hey man. Don’t knock NATE. I’m 4 generations in an HVAC business since 1955. Take the test, it’s harder than the open book HVAC contractor license. Just because someone has been doing HVAC for over 20 years doesn’t mean they have been doing it right. Check the facts.

My question is. What is the N.A.T.E. good for in our field? There's techs that are not even half as good as me with N.A.T.E. certifications, so would it really benefit me to take it and get it?

I agree with the video. I have been doin ac for nine years now and all my training came from the field. I started straight out of high school. I have known too many techs who have spent x amount of dollars on schooling for over a year only to come into the field and know absolutely nothing about the first ac they touch. Kinda sad really

Unfair comparison. Should be... Who would you rather have, a new tech with no certification or a new tech that is NATE certified.

Nice video . You are so right.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

ive worked at industrial HVAC at every pulp Mill refinery across the Eastern Seaboard and Beyond I've got welding tickets and tin bashing tickets however I am not nate certified and I don't plan on it any day soon and I'm pretty close to retirement

Would you want a surgeon to work on your heart transplant if he didn't go to school, but he had 20 years experience? I bet you'd rather have the guy that had a degree and certifications AND experience

Nate Cert Don't make a good tech being honest to your customers and taken pride in your Work does! nice video ralph and thank you because I learned a lot from you and I am Nate certified ! P.S I'm Still Learning Every day

can someone recommend the most important certifications for hvac-r ,im getting my epa 608..i know how to solder and braze already..i was a pipefitter/pipewelder I know the pipefitting will come in handy obviously and welding will on the commercial side of hvac..I want to be very well rounded and have every beneficial certification possible..recommendations..please..thanks (I know experience is the key I want to put myself ahead of the game as much as possible with minimal experience)

Absolutely agree with you.

And speech therapy should be looked in to as well.