San Antonio's Fastest Entry-Level HVAC Program.
6 weeks. 240 hands-on lab hours. Leave with OSHA 10, EPA 608 certification, and the skills San Antonio HVAC contractors actually need on day one.
*Wage data based on Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and regional labor market estimates for entry-level HVAC technicians in the San Antonio area. Individual compensation varies by employer and experience.
6 weeks to earning. Not 2 years.
San Antonio has no shortage of HVAC training options. Here’s how Tradecraft stacks up against the alternatives on the metrics that matter to you.
What San Antonio HVAC contractors actually hire for.
San Antonio's heat is relentless and that means HVAC technicians here are never out of work. Tradecraft's HVAC program is built around the skills that get you hired by San Antonio contractors on day one: refrigeration fundamentals, residential and commercial installation, ductwork, service and troubleshooting, and the job-site professionalism that separates a good hire from a great one.
You'll train on real equipment from day one in our San Antonio lab. The 7 AM start isn't arbitrary, it matches a real job-site schedule so the transition from training to employment is frictionless.
By graduation, you'll hold OSHA 10 and EPA 608 certifications, both fully integrated into the curriculum at no extra cost, along with 240 documented clock hours and Texas HVAC apprentice eligibility.
What you leave with
- OSHA 10 Certification, required on virtually every San Antonio job site
- EPA 608 Certification, required to handle refrigerants legally
- Texas HVAC apprentice eligibility
- 240 documented clock hours of hands-on training
- Experience with residential + commercial systems
- Referrals to San Antonio-area HVAC hiring partners
Free. No commitment. San Antonio campus.
What training actually looks like.
Real equipment, real tools, real hours on the floor. This is the San Antonio lab where students spend 70%+ of the program.
240 hours. 70% of it in the lab.
Most HVAC programs bury you in theory before you ever touch a system. Tradecraft flips it. You're in the lab from day one, with classroom instruction built around what you need to know to make the lab work make sense.
The 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM daily schedule isn't just structure, it conditions you for the real job before you ever set foot on a job site.
Daily structure: 50 minutes instruction + 10-minute break = 1 clock hour · 8 instructional hours per day · 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM
HVAC technicians are in demand
across San Antonio, year round.
San Antonio averages over 220 days above 80°F per year. That's not a seasonal job market. It's a permanent one. Tradecraft Schools graduates enter a sector that doesn't slow down.
Residential HVAC
San Antonio's residential construction is expanding across Alamo Ranch, Converse, Schertz, and the far North Side. Every new home needs HVAC installation — and every existing system eventually needs a tech.
Commercial & Industrial
The South Texas Medical Center, downtown San Antonio development, and major retail and office builds across Bexar County require commercial HVAC teams. RTU and large-system experience makes Tradecraft grads more valuable here from day one.
Government & Military Facilities
JBSA, Fort Sam Houston, and Lackland AFB maintain extensive facility HVAC systems through civilian contractors. Veterans who complete Tradecraft's HVAC program have a built-in advantage in this sector.
Six weeks of entry-level HVAC training. One clear outcome.
Every week focuses on essential skills HVAC contractors expect from day one.
HVAC Fundamentals & Safety
- Safety protocols & OSHA 10 certification
- Basic thermodynamics & heat transfer
- Hand & power tools for HVAC technicians
- Piping, tubing, and brazing fundamentals
Electrical Systems & Controls
- Basic electricity & circuit reading
- Multimeters & electrical troubleshooting
- Motors, capacitors, and relays
- Thermostat wiring & low-voltage controls
Refrigeration Cycle & EPA 608
- Four main components of the refrigeration cycle
- Pressure-temperature relationships & gauges
- Refrigerant recovery, evacuation, & charging
- EPA 608 Universal certification prep & exam
Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps
- Residential split-system AC installation
- Heat pump operation & reversing valves
- Airflow, ductwork basics, & static pressure
- System diagnostics & leak detection
Heating Systems
- Gas furnace components & sequence of operation
- Gas piping, venting, & combustion safety
- Electric heat packages & sequencers
- Heating troubleshooting & safety controls
Career Readiness & Testing
- Preventative maintenance procedures
- System startup and shutdown protocols
- Full system install + service scenario
- Final practical exam
- Resume, interview prep, and graduation
Arnoldo
"HVAC was a luxury. It's now a necessity."
In South Texas, a routine AC service call can take two to three days to get a technician out. That's the shortage Arnoldo sees firsthand, techs retiring out of the field faster than the industry can replace them. He built Tradecraft's HVAC program to close that gap: six weeks of hands-on repetition on the basics until students have it down cold, then straight into a workforce that's ready for them.
$10,500. Multiple ways to pay.
San Antonio entry-level HVAC technicians average $21–$24/hr in their first year. At $10,500 in tuition and 6 weeks to employment, this program pays for itself in roughly 12 weeks of work. We offer multiple financing options so cost isn't the thing that stops you.
HVAC trade school in San Antonio, answered.
Everything you need to know before you schedule a tour.
How long is the HVAC training program?
How much does HVAC trade school cost in San Antonio?
How much do HVAC technicians make in San Antonio?
What certifications will I earn?
Can veterans use the GI Bill for HVAC trade school in San Antonio?
Do I need prior HVAC experience to enroll?
How is Tradecraft different from 2-year college programs?
Built for some people more than others.
- • You want to work with your hands in a skilled trade
- • You're comfortable with an early start: 7 AM daily
- • You want a year-round career in San Antonio's climate
- • You don't want to spend 2 years in a classroom before earning
- • You're a veteran looking for a fast civilian career path
- • You're ready to go full-time in a lab from day one
- • You want a fully online or remote program
- • You can't commit to the full 6-week in-person schedule
- • You prefer a slow-paced, self-directed learning environment
- • You want a guaranteed job placement program
- • You're not ready to start working in the field after training
Your new career starts here.
Claim your spot.
The Tradecraft 6-week HVAC pre-apprentice program runs Monday – Friday (7:00 AM – 3:30 PM). Lab capacity is strictly capped to guarantee hands-on seat time.
Want more information?
Click the button below to get full program details and connect with our San Antonio admissions team.
Come see our San Antonio campus.
Meet the instructors and team.
Tours are free, take about an hour, and answer every question you have before committing to anything.
