Targeted HVAC Training Boosts Careers, Retention, and Service Quality
In this episode of Straight Outta Crumpton, host Greg Crumpton speaks with Jeremy Clark, Training and Development Leader at Carolina Chillers, about how targeted HVAC training programs improve technician retention, career clarity, and service quality. Clark draws on nearly two decades of field experience to explain how pairing technical standards with personal career roadmaps and small customer-focused habits builds stronger teams. The conversation also addresses preparing technicians for emerging technologies such as A2L refrigerants and advanced VRF systems.
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Key takeaways
Pairing technical training with individual career roadmaps improves technician retention and long-term engagement.
Small, deliberate customer-service habits — like 'doing one extra step' — differentiate service quality and build customer trust.
Structured skill-building is essential to keep HVAC teams current with rapidly evolving technologies, including A2L refrigerants and VRF systems.
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The HVAC industry is evolving quickly, from advanced controls to new refrigerant standards, yet one principle remains timeless: skilled technicians are the backbone of the trade. What is changing is how companies are preparing those technicians for long-term careers through focused HVAC training. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the field is projected to grow 9 percent from 2023 to 2033, with about 42,500 openings each year. This faster-than-average growth underscores the need for clear career pathways, strong retention strategies, and higher service standards.
How can HVAC companies design training that develops technical mastery while fostering pride, customer focus, and career growth?
In this episode of Straight Outta Crumpton, Greg Crumpton engages with Jeremy Clark, the Training and Development Leader at Carolina Chillers. Clark shares how nearly two decades in the field, from residential service to data center cooling and project sales, shaped his vision for technician development. Clark explains why retention starts with career clarity, how “doing one extra step” elevates customer service, and why adaptability is essential in a rapidly changing industry where HVAC training must keep pace with new technologies.
Key Points from the Conversation:
- Building training programs that pair technical standards with personal career roadmaps to improve retention and engagement.
- Encouraging technicians to “do one extra step,” small, thoughtful actions that strengthen customer trust and set work apart.
- Preparing teams for new technologies, from A2L refrigerants to advanced rooftop and VRF systems, through targeted skill-building.
Jeremy Clark is the Training and Development Leader at Carolina Chillers, bringing nearly two decades of HVAC experience across residential, geothermal, commercial, industrial, controls, and critical facility environments. His career includes roles as installation and service technician, sales engineer, and building automation specialist, giving him a broad technical foundation and strong customer-focused approach. He is dedicated to developing both new and seasoned technicians through structured training, mentorship, and skill-building that enhances expertise, career growth, and service quality.
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About the author
Straight Outta Crumpton Greg's personal & professional goals are to serve the people that he am working with and/or for. He carries this mantra in his professional life and his home life. Having 40+ years as a full-service mechanical and mission critical environments contractor with a heavy emphasis on service, maintenance and repair. Greg specialize in mission critical cooling (Heat Rejection) and electrical infrastructures, as well as the comfort cooling surrounding them. As a continual entrepreneur, several markets strike him as interesting. As varied as you could imagine, they range from Coffee with my bud's at www.CommonPlaceCoffee.com, all the way to serving as an adviser for several start-ups in the emerging technology world via www.aGlobalVenture.com & www.AtomPower.com and others. Giving back to his community is of equal importance to him, www.apparo.org and Animal Welfare are just a couple ways of doing just that.
