(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Career Services department and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology program hosted an HVAC Expo on Wednesday, May 24.
Representatives of four employers spoke to students in hourlong time blocks. The companies represented were Evergreen Heating and Cooling and T.E.A.M. Solutions Inc., both of Waco; Trane Technologies of Austin; and Willbanks & Associates Inc., which is headquartered in Houston.
Brian Peters, chief encouragement officer at Evergreen Heating and Cooling, said his business strictly works in residential services. The business has 10 technicians and an additional three employees.
He talked to the students about opportunities in the residential HVAC field and how to start their own businesses.
Peters relished his first time meeting the students.
“It’s a huge deal,” he said. “My business is dependent on workers to do the work. There are fewer and fewer (workers) coming into the industry.”
Court Norton, an HVAC service technician at Trane Technologies, talked to students about the company’s business model, history, leadership principles, and other topics.
“It’s hard to find good people and good employees who know what they are doing,” Norton said. “You can teach someone to work on equipment, but not the work ethic.”
Norton said it was the first time he had made a presentation like this to students.
“It’s good to form a relationship with technical colleges and those that put out technicians in the field,” he said.
Fernando Vallejo, of Waco, is a certificate student in the HVAC Technology program and is scheduled to graduate in December.
Vallejo attended two of the event’s speaker sessions.
“I enjoyed hearing about the different kinds of systems and opportunities there are and getting a better understanding of what I want to do,” he said.
Vallejo chose to study HVAC Technology because he likes working with his hands and helping people.
“I just want to get to work and learn and get experience,” he said.
Tim Snyder, lead instructor in the HVAC Technology program, said representatives of employers want to meet students face to face. He said this is being encouraged more, especially with students in the first semester of the program.
The Career Services department is hosting a series of small industry events tailored for specific programs. Alicia Cruz, the department’s director, said having these summer events forms a bridge between the spring and fall industry job events held for alumni and students.
Future employer events will focus on Diesel Equipment Technology, Industrial Systems, Precision Machining Technology and Welding Technology at the Waco campus.
Registration continues for the fall semester. For more information, go to tstc.edu.
