Cram, yeah, that's a big reason I chose HVAC. Job security, will never fear for work, don't have to worry about outsourcing, and great pay. Overtime + sales commission = sweet paycheck. Residential work, maybe in a few years if I like it enough I'll try moving to commercial but I'm just focusing on the present for now.
They're not union (honestly I know nothing about unions and it's actually been a couple weeks since they mentioned that so I could be wrong, LOL) but the benefits couldn't be better, and by mid-December I'll have full health care. Matching 401k too
I'm actually leaving an auto body shop (father's business) so I kind of have an advantage with having access to the tool man on a consistent basis (I can easily have the old man pick up something and I can pay him back). I have a ton of sockets and a few wrenches lying around but I need voltage meters, gauges, Channellocks and more. I get a company van to drive though and some common power tools, so I won't immediately have to dive into the deep end buying tools.
One of their former employees actually recommended me to them so they're wary of hiring me and investing all this money into training only for me to leave in a couple years to work for him, but 1) I don't want to mix work and friends especially if I'm working for them, and 2) I'm easy to please and don't like moving from job to job so I hope to stay with these guys for the long haul.