Meet Arrty Rude, a North Idaho native who is the lead heating, ventilation and air conditioning instructor at the North Idaho College Workforce Training Center. Arrty was a student in the program from 1992 through 1996. He was among the students in the inaugural year when the apprenticeship classes moved to the Workforce Training Center in the fall of 1994. While working in the HVAC trade, Arrty became a part-time NIC instructor in December 2005. He served in that capacity until he became a full-time lead instructor in August 2022. Arrty has taught all ages throughout his career, from elementary students through adult professionals in many different settings. For 10 years, he was a training specialist for the Idaho Transportation Department and taught approximately 30 different classes at least annually for over 2,500 hours of instruction.

1) How did you become interested in HVAC, and what do you enjoy about teaching students the trade?

I became interested in HVAC because there was an opportunity to be trained in a family-owned business. While working and obtaining my HVAC journeyman’s license, I could also pay for and earn degrees from NIC in business management and the University of Idaho in elementary education. Having gone through the HVAC program myself and being a formally trained teacher, I could see the program from all angles. Because of this, I have been able to restructure the program to make it more effective and student-friendly. This last year of working as a full-time instructor has allowed me to work with the other HVAC instructor to create a more well-rounded program that allows for equal classwork and hands-on lab time. The best part of my job is seeing new students come into the program as first-year apprentices and watching them succeed in completing the four-year program to become HVAC journeymen. I can teach course content and have discussions about leadership, integrity and work ethics.

2) What is the market like for HVAC professionals — wages, demand, labor pool, student interest?

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the market for HVAC professionals is experiencing strong demand and competitive wages. The demand for HVAC professionals continues to grow as both residential and commercial construction projects increase and the need for energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems rises. The BLS projects a faster-than-average job growth rate of 15% for HVAC mechanics and installers from 2020 to 2030, leading to a significant number of job openings.

The average HVAC installer salary in Coeur d’Alene is $29.32 an hour, according to Indeed.com. Experienced and well-trained professionals can earn even higher wages, especially those specializing in complex systems or working in metropolitan areas with a high demand for their skills. Overall, the combination of steady demand and competitive wages makes the HVAC industry an attractive career option for individuals interested in this field. Student demand at the Workforce Training Center is growing. The first-year HVAC classes this year more than doubled our program.

3) Why should someone invest in hiring an HVAC person rather than doing a job themselves?

Hiring a professional is usually cheaper and faster than doing the work yourself! Professionals have the knowledge, tools, and other resources to perform the work accurately and safely, which in the long run could extend the lifetime of the equipment and give the customer peace of mind.

4) What's something people would be surprised to know about you?

I love visiting the Pacific coast and crabbing. In fact, my wife and I spent three days crabbing on our 30th wedding anniversary last summer. But after spending all day on the dock, I let her pick the restaurants for dinner each night.

5) Is there anything you wish the general public knew about your line of work, any myths you can dispel for us, or any other pearls of wisdom regarding this trade?

HVAC is a skilled trade that overlaps with the plumbing and electrical trades. Also, the Workforce Training Center offers quality, four-year apprenticeship programs in the HVAC, plumbing and electrical trades. Completion of these trades is a viable alternative to college degrees. Apprentices get paid to work while getting their education and are already employed upon receiving their journeyman license.

The WTC also offers apprenticeship programs in construction and heavy equipment. Another exciting addition this year is a pre-apprenticeship for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, which is currently in session. The pre-apprenticeship gives these students the opportunity to learn various components of basic trade skills and a one-day sample of each of the five WTC apprenticeship programs from the instructors who teach them. At the conclusion of this program on June 30, WTC is hosting a job fair at the NIC Parker Center campus in Rathdrum. It is also open to the public from 10 a.m. to noon and you can just show up, meet employers hiring, secure a job and enroll in our programs!