NexTech Academy Celebrating 5 Years!
“I can’t afford to train my own technicians.” Nexstar members used to say this a lot. When we launched NexTech Academy in 2018, we set out to help them tackle the challenge of in-house training. At the time, apprenticeship programs and training classes for commercial new construction had been the status quo for decades, and […]
You Can’t Learn to Swim (or Become a Successful HVAC Technician) by Reading a Book
Savannah Roberts, an HVAC service technician with David Gray Electrical, Plumbing, Heating & Air in NE Florida, remembers the exact Monday she decided it was time for a change. She wanted to chart a new career path, and she had key criteria in mind for that path: she did not want a desk job, and […]
Seasoned Leader Helps Launch Deljo NexTech Academy In-House Training
In the second installment of our two-part blog series, we’re shining the spotlight on Charlie Cotto, Director of Deljo Heating and Cooling‘s in-house NexTech Academy. Charlie shares how his journey in the trades has led him to his current role as a respected trainer, mentor, and leader to his students and graduates like David Ciechanowski . […]
Deljo’s First NexTech Academy Graduate: “I’m Rolling into the Field I’ve Been Training For”
Sinnce launching their in-house technical training program, Deljo Heating and Cooling has graduated four level-one apprentices in the past six months. We recently caught up with David Ciechanowski, Deljo’s very first NexTech Academy graduate, and Charlie Cotto, Deljo’s NexTech Academy Director, to learn more. In this first installment of a two-part blog series, we’re spotlighting […]
To Change Your Business for Good, Change How You Think About Recruiting
By Joel Ellingson, Director of NexTech Academy You know it and I know it: There simply aren’t enough future trades professionals training up, right now, to meet the needs of North America’s growing PHCE companies. A fundamentally different approach is required to identify, recruit, and hire the technical talent needed to fuel the growth […]
NexTech Graduate Perseveres with Plumbing Technical Training
We recently caught up with Justin Brock, a plumbing technician with Warner Super Service of Oxon Hill, Maryland. Justin is a new graduate from Warner’s in-house NexTech Academy technical training course, and he’s already putting his knowledge, skillsets, and know-how to work in the field. Read how Justin’s knowledge, resilience, and willingness to tackle the […]
Participation is Power
As an owner or a manager of a plumbing, electrical, or heating/air-conditioning business, you may already have seen other companies successfully growing their own in-house workforces. You may know you have access to NexTech Academy , an online technical training opportunity for your technicians. You might even be ready to bring NexTech Academy into your […]
Technician Development Onsite Visit
Why are coaching onsite visits so helpful? One reason is that a different set of eyes can offer a fresh perspective to your business. Case in point: This past August, I was invited to Stewart Plumbing in Southaven, Mississippi. My mission? Meet their team and work with Stewart’s plumbing service manager, Mike Robbins, to improve […]
NexTech Academy HVAC Technical Onsite Training
Wish you could provide your HVAC field staff with ongoing training for the technical skills that would help them be more efficient and confident on the job? Ongoing technical training typically gets put on the back burner – that is, until your technicians have callbacks and warranty calls! If you’re wondering how you can get […]
Meet J.C Newman, Roscoe Brown AC Technician and NexTech Academy Graduate
J.C. Newman remembers exactly when all the knowledge he gathered during his NexTech Academy HVAC training clicked. He recently recalled the personal career momentum and self-confidence he felt that day, while riding with his mentor and manager. “It’s the moment I’ll never forget,” explained J.C., air conditioning technician at Roscoe Brown, a third-generation HVAC and […]
