It seems we've been hearing a lot these days about layoffs and unemployment rates. And while the job outlook for San Antonio isn't as great as we've seen in the past, employers are hiring.
The agency that tracks jobs in San Antonio, Workforce Solutions Alamo, just put out its list of demand occupations: jobs that are available and growing by industry here in San Antonio. We're calling them San Antonio's "hot jobs."
News 4 WOAI's Randy Beamer recently discovered one of the hottest jobs in San Antonio is a career you might not have thought about. But you're pretty much guaranteed to have a job for life if you handle it.
Manuel Donel is an air conditioning technician for Agee's A/C & Heating. His job is one those "hot jobs" that was listed by Workforce Solutions Alamo as being in demand for the years 2009-2010.
"There's a little bit of a freedom," says Donel. "That you can actually enjoy driving around. You're not working constantly. So on an average of 8 hours, you truly only work about 5 hours because the rest of it is travel time and waiting for calls to come in."
"So in that aspect of it, it's great," adds Donel.
That's the good news. But, there's that other aspect of what Manuel Donel does for a living that could scare off some people from becoming an air conditioning/heating technician.
"I guess the worst thing about it is the heat."
Not just the heat of the sun, but under the roof whenever they have to install or fix ductwork inside a blistering hot attic.
"It can get up to 130 to 170," says Donel.
Yes, 170 degrees! Rarely, but that's when workers like Manuel really earn their money. And try to remember summer is only a few months long.
"But other than that it is very rewarding," says Donel. "The pay is good, the benefits are good. And most importantly, it is always in demand and you'll basically always have a job."
Jeff Standley, of Agee's Air Conditioning & Heating says this unusually hot summer is really driving up demand even more for good a/c technicians.
"I think anyone who has already been trained in the air-conditioning and heating field right now could find a job," says Standley. "I don't know of an air conditioning company around right now, including us, that's not looking for employees."
Workers like Manuel can easily work 70 hours a week if they want. Basically, as much overtime as they can handle.
But even in "cooler" years, he says the whole industry's been fighting a shortage of workers; and will for years to come.
"We're seeing more interest and we're encouraging more people to get into this field," adds Standley. "Go to technical schools, get the training that's needed and come talk to us and we'll bring you in on an apprentice program."
And you don't have to be a trained technician to find a job here.
"Absolutely, anyone who's worked in a warehouse before; anyone who knows how to do order-picking and stocking; driving a forklift... any type of thing like that. We are a growing business," says Standley.
You may also want to consider Manuel's job isn't all tools and tedious, technical stuff.
It's also about caring and helping people.
"Yeah, especially elderly people, you have to be a counselor and a friend," says Donel. "We all need someone to talk to and so we have to spend the time, take care of the customers and speak to them and sometimes even give advice. So on that aspect of it, you have to be a people-person."
For a complete list of the 2009 target occupations, click here.
For information from Workforce Solutions Alamo, click here.
