On November 27, 2015, One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning had the opportunity to visit Olympic High School and speak at their career fair. We wanted to share our views on the value of learning HVAC skills at a grassroots level. We especially wanted students to know that a 4-year degree is not their only option. There are alternate options, such as community colleges and trade, vocational and technical schools.

At One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Charlotte, we actually offer an HVAC technical school program. It’s a rigorous 16-week program where you learn how to do everything from replacing an HVAC unit to checking and diagnosing HVAC issues to interacting properly with customers and clients. We don’t even charge the students any kind of tuition. We offer them a free education because we believe having quality, well-trained individuals is more important than making an extra buck. We also understand that there are many individuals who just can’t afford to pay for the program and we don’t want to close any doors on students that could be excellent technicians.

At the career fair, we went into different classrooms, giving us the opportunity to share our message with 100 students or more. Our goal was to educate students who will soon face one of the biggest decisions of their life: What do to post-graduation.

After sharing with the students what our message was – that becoming a tradesperson is highly valued – we had the students ask us some questions. Some of the students were not even aware that you could go to school for trades. Many of them don’t have “hands-o
n” classes such as home economics, welding and woodworking.

Becoming an HVAC technician is incredibly valuable, as there is a shortage of technicians and there’s always a high demand. We wanted the students to be aware that other options can be less expensive, requires less time, and can result in a life-long career. In fact, many of the individuals on our management team started out in the field, working as an HVAC technician.

The phrase “Work smarter, not harder” has become the motto for American society. And if you’re one of those who “work harder”, you tend to be pinned as unintelligent. You’re working harder because you just weren’t smart enough, not because you chose that path for yourself.

Education in is one of the most valuable aspects you can add to your life, it comes in many forms and does not always result in a diploma. One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Charlotte understands this, which is why we’re proud to have a part in helping our community.