Build a Facilities Maintenance Career from Union Park

Turn east Orlando's constant upkeep into a stable career

Union Park sits in one of the busiest service territories in east Orlando, and that is exactly why it is such a strong place to launch a facilities maintenance career. The dense apartment communities along this stretch never stop needing repairs, the retail centers that serve the UCF area run heating, cooling, and plumbing systems year-round, and the field service contractors who cover this part of the county are always looking for technicians who can handle more than one trade. A facilities maintenance technician is the person property managers call first, because you can troubleshoot an air handler in the morning and clear a stubborn drain line in the afternoon. Hyphen School's Facilities Maintenance Program is built to make you that all-around professional. Over eight months you complete the full HVAC curriculum and the full plumbing curriculum, then layer on building-systems integration and the supervisory skills that move you from a paycheck into a real career. The earning path is one of the most dependable in the trades: entry-level technicians start around $42,000 to $54,000, climb to roughly $60,000 to $78,000 within five years, and reach $80,000 to $100,000 or more with a decade of experience and a supervisory title. Because classes meet only Saturday and Sunday, you keep your weekday income while you retrain. Florida's hospitality and healthcare facilities lean heavily on technicians with exactly this combined skill set, and the apartment-and-retail mix surrounding Union Park gives you nearby places to put those skills to work the day you graduate. This page walks through how the program runs, what your earning potential looks like, and why Union Park is a smart home base to train from.

Why Union Park is a strong place to start

• •The east Orlando apartment communities around Union Park need constant HVAC, plumbing, and general repairs, which is steady year-round work for a multi-skilled facilities technician.
• •UCF-area employers and the surrounding retail centers run large building systems that require ongoing maintenance rather than one-time installs, supporting long-term employment.
• •Field service contractors who cover this territory prize technicians who handle both HVAC and plumbing, which is precisely the combined skill set this program delivers.
• •Campus is only 24 minutes from Union Park via SR-50 west or SR-408 to I-4 and Lee Road, so weekend training fits around a weekday job.
• •Florida's hospitality and healthcare facilities create demand for facilities maintenance technicians well beyond the Union Park area, giving graduates room to grow.

Two trades, one career, eight months

You complete full HVAC and full plumbing curricula, then add building-systems integration and supervisory training that prepares you to run maintenance across an entire property. Classes meet Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 7pm, in a hybrid format that pairs weekday online lectures with hands-on campus labs. Tuition is $12,465 and includes a $2,400 tool kit you keep, with 0% financing available so Union Park students can retrain without draining savings.

Facilities Maintenance Careers Near Union Park

Union Park gives students access to one of the busiest east Orlando service territories, where apartment, retail, and campus-adjacent systems need constant upkeep.

Florida Licensing Steps

1. 1Complete combined HVAC + plumbing training (our 8-month Facilities Maintenance program)
2. 2Obtain EPA 608 certification and document plumbing field hours
3. 3Pursue CFM (Certified Facility Manager) credential through IFMA for senior roles
4. 4Apply for both Florida CAC/CMC and Plumber licenses for full dual-trade independence

A Day in the Life of a Facilities Maintenance Technician

• · Oversee daily maintenance of HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and general systems
• · Manage work orders and coordinate subcontractors
• · Perform preventive maintenance inspections across building systems
• · Respond to tenant and facility manager requests
• · Track maintenance budgets and equipment lifecycles

Getting Here from Union Park

From Union Park, take SR-50 west or SR-408 toward I-4 and Lee Road — approximately 24 minutes to campus. Our weekend-only schedule means Union Parkstudents don't need to commute during the week.