How did you get into the HVAC trade?
Twenty-two years ago, when I was 20 years old, I moved to Florida, and my brother introduced me to the industry. He was a comfort advisor for a local company at the time, and I started as a helper for an install crew with absolutely no experience. I learned everything from on the job experience and by taking classes offered by distributors here and there. I never thought I would like it. I ended up loving this career choice.
What was your trade school experience like? What did you like? What did you find frustrating?
I never went to a trade school. The closest I have done as far as trade school has been classes here and there offered by local distributors. I self-taught myself a lot of the technical information in the trade by subscribing to trade publications, buying my own textbooks, and studying myself. If I had the opportunity to join a trade school, it would have helped me tremendously and would have given me fewer headaches in the field if I was taught at least the basics of the trade.
What are some things that surprised you about entering the residential home services field?
I think some of the things that surprised me were how much I loved doing residential work as opposed to commercial. I did commercial/industrial HVAC for three years, but to me, there was a disconnect. I like having the interaction with customers and seeing different challenges each day in the field, whereas in commercial, I didn’t get to have that personal interaction. Meeting so many different types of people, and being able to help them made me really enjoy this trade. I felt very accomplished every day I came home from work.
What are your favorite HVAC tasks to perform? Why?
Some of the work I really enjoyed throughout my career was installing new equipment. I liked to see an old piece of equipment that was an eyesore, and turn it into something that the customer would be impressed by seeing, along with them feeling the comfort that the product delivered to the homeowner. It can be a work of art. I also really enjoy working and installing boiler systems. Not only are they very complicated, but you can work some magic to make it into something that is not only nice to look at, but something that improves comfort for the customer. Another thing I enjoy is when a customer has had multiple technicians/companies out, and no one could locate the problem. After years in the trade, being able to be the person that did find and correct the problem was very satisfying.
What was the service call you felt most proud of?
Thinking back, at one of the companies I worked for in the past, there was a no heating call for a boiler that I went on for an elderly couple up in the mountains. They had a boiler that was well over 40 years old. The company they were using at the time just kept coming out there patching it up, charging them $500-$1,000 each time. I went over all the repair costs with them, educated them on new equipment, went over warranties with them, and ended up selling them a new boiler with all new piping and controls in the boiler room. They were so impressed, but they were worried that someone else was going to install it. When I offered to install it for them, they were ecstatic. For the next four years, they refused to have anyone touch their boiler except for me, which was to do annual service and cleanings on it. Every time I would go out there, the homeowner would bake me cookies and give them to me when I left. That couple really stood out to me, and it was an excellent experience getting to help these people and gain their trust.
What do you like most about NexTech Academy?
I like the fact that this program is self-paced, which gives the learner time to soak up the content to get the most out of the program. I also love that we provide students with skills assessments, so they get hands-on training in the field that they need to succeed. The other fantastic part of NexTech Academy is the fact that we not only teach the technical aspect of the trade to our members’ apprentices, but we also teach the soft skills of the Nexstar Service System®. I worked for Nexstar members as a technician, and in 2005 I attended my first Service System class in California. So I know firsthand how important following the Service System is for not only a technician but for the company. Being able to be a part of something this big is a massive milestone in my career and something I am very proud to be a part of.
What has been your favorite NexTech lesson so far?
So far, I would have to say that my favorite lesson in NexTech Academy has been the module my team and I created on troubleshooting blower motors. It was a fun course to create, and something I would have loved to take when I was an apprentice. Especially troubleshooting ECM blower motors, because I have seen many technicians diagnose these types of motors incorrectly. I look forward to hearing feedback on this lesson after our members and members apprentices have a chance to take this. But that is just one of my favorites. There are also many soft skills/service system lessons I have seen throughout the program that I know will be very beneficial to the growth of new apprentices in this industry.
Want to check out Joe’s coaching work? Watch one of Joe’s favorite instructional videos, Troubleshooting ECM Motors and get a taste of NexTech Academy’s HVAC online technical training.
