Air Conditioning Specialist

Assess applicants for HVAC and A/C maintenance and repair positions with the Air Conditioning Specialist test to ensure that they have knowledge of print reading, mechanical maintenance, heating, ventilation and more.

This 60 item, paper-and-pencil Air Conditioning Specialist test is designed to test knowledge and skill in the area of air conditioning.

What It’s Best Used For

This test is best used during early-stage recruitment or internal talent audits to verify baseline mechanical aptitude and hands-on repair knowledge for HVAC installers, mechanics, and service technicians before investing time and money into employee training.

• Vetting Schematics & Control Systems: It measures an applicant’s comfort level with basic, pneumatic, and electrical diagrams alongside pneumatic regulators, valves, air dryers, and system calibration steps.
• Evaluating Electrical & Test Instrumentation: The test checks a candidate’s understanding of AC/DC theory, motors, control circuits, and their ability to accurately operate diagnostic tools like VOMs, meggers, and ammeters.
• Verifying Mechanical Maintenance & Piping: It evaluates routine repair habits, specifically tracking an individual’s capacity to troubleshoot, align, balance, and lubricate hardware while safely managing pipe types, fittings, and pumps.Assessing Heating,
• Ventilation, & Site Safety: The modules track a specialist’s core familiarity with refrigerants, combustion analyzers, boilers, and critical safety rules, since a dedicated safety question is seamlessly integrated into every testing segment.

Built for both online or paper environments, the platform delivers flexible scoring options, uses English formatting, and is fully legal for use in Canada.

Categories tested include

• Print Reading
• Electrical and Test Equipment
• Controls
• Welding
• Piping and Plumbing
• Mechanical Maintenance & Machines and Equipment
• Heating and Ventilation & Combustion
• Air Conditioning & Refrigeration

The Air Conditioning Specialist Test was developed as part of the development of a series of skills tests. A shortened version consisting of 60 items, RCJS Air Conditioning Specialist – Form SWA-C, was developed in February of 2002. An on-line version Form SWA-E was developed in October of 2002. One item was altered slightly in the on-line version of the test in order to allow the use of a smaller schematic diagram.

The test was intended for use with applicants and incumbents for jobs where knowledge and skill in the area of air conditioning is a necessary part of job activities. Job analysis activities conducted during development of this test revealed that an applicable title is Heating and Air Conditioning Installer Servicer as defined in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (U.S. Department of Labor, 1991) and Heating and Air Conditioning Mechanics and Installers, as defined on O*NET OnLine (National O*Net consortium for the U.S. Department of Labor, 2007).

AIR CONDITIONING SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL AREAS

A. Print Reading
1. Schematics (basic, pneumatic, electrical,& complex piping)
2. Mechanical drawings
3. Assembly drawings

B. Controls
1. Pneumatic
a. Air supply systems
b. Regulation & control
c. Valves
d. Actuators
e. Air compressors
f. Air dryers
2. Electrical
3. Electronic
4. System calibration
5. Troubleshooting & applications
6. Transducers

C. Welding, Burning, Brazing, & Soldering
1. Methods
2. Equipment

D. Mechanical Maintenance
1. Troubleshooting
2. Prevention
3. Recording
4. Alignment/Balancing
5. Remove/Assemble/Install equipment
6. Lubrication

E. Machines & Equipment
1. Hand tools
2. Power tools
3. Rigging

F. Heating & Ventilating
1. Troubleshooting
2. Monitoring
3. Equipment
4. Psychometrics

G. AC & Refrigeration
1. Troubleshooting
2. Monitoring
3. Equipment
4. Refrigerants
5. Conversion

H. Piping & Plumbing
1. Types
2. Tubing, hoses & fittings
3. Valves
4. Strainers, filters & traps
5. Steam, water & gas
6. Heat exchanger
7. Troubleshooting & applications
8. Pumps

I. Combustion
1. Control systems
2. Analyzers
3. Furnaces, boilers, & heating systems

J. Electrical
1. AC/DC theory
2. Motors
3. Control circuits

K. Test Equipment & Instrumentation
1. VOM
2. Megger
3. Ammeter
4. Gauging
5. Conversion of standards

L. Safety (safety item in each area)

AIR CONDITIONING SPECIALIST – NUMBER OF ITEMS

A. Print Reading (5), Electrical (6),and Test Equipment (2) – 13
B. Controls – 13
C. Welding (2), Piping and Plumbing (4) – 6
D. Mechanical Maintenance (7), and Machines & Equipment (2) – 9
E. Heating & Ventilation (8), and Combustion (2) – 10
F. Air Conditioning and Refrigeration – 9

Please contact us for pricing and more information.  Sample questions are not available for this instrument.  Sample copies are available for purchase only.

 

We recommend that test validation be conducted for an organization that meets any of the following criteria:

• Is a highly visible national or international company
• Has more than 200 employees
• Has a labor agreement
• Has a federal contract
• Has ever had an EEO charge
• Needs professional assistance for setting cutting scores on tests

The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978)1, developed by the EEOC, Civil Service Commission, Department of Labor and Department of Justice, are intended to establish a uniform Federal position in the area of prohibiting discrimination in employment practices. Regarding the use of tests and other selection procedures, the Guidelines state:

These guidelines apply to tests and other selection procedures which are used as a basis for any employment decision. Employment decisions include but are not limited to hiring, promotion, demotion, membership (for example, in a labor organization), referral, retention, and licensing and certification, to the extent that licensing and certification may be covered by Federal equal employment opportunity law. Other selection decisions, such as selection for training or transfer, may also be considered employment decisions if they lead to any of the decisions listed above. (Section 2B)

The Guidelines also state:

The use of any selection procedure which has an adverse impact on the hiring, promotion, or other employment or membership opportunities of members of any race, sex, or ethnic group will be considered to be discriminatory and inconsistent with these guidelines, unless the procedure has been validated in accordance with these guidelines. (Section 3A)

From the employer’s perspective, it is very useful to have a job-related test. When tests are job related, they have more credibility with the persons taking them, giving the test takers more confidence in their results and providing less likelihood of complaint or litigation. A validated test is usually the product of research by a psychologist. The resulting validation report is the documented evidence by a professional researcher of the validity of the selection procedure. In the event of complaint or litigation, the report would usually be entered into evidence. In addition, the author would provide testimony that the report reflects generally-accepted professional practice and is in conformance with the requirements of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures.

1 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Civil Service Commission, Department of Labor, and Department of Justice. (1978, August). Uniform guidelines on employee selection procedures. Federal Register, 43, 38290-38315.

 

 

 

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