Getting a Start in HVAC
Arriving at NCST for her first day of HVAC training was an eye-opener for Alexandria Settle. As the only woman in the class, she admits she was a little nervous. “I had no clue what I was getting myself into,” she said. “I was scared I wasn’t going to make any friends, or that I wouldn’t want to do this anymore, because I had no people. I was going to be by myself.” But her fears were quickly eased. She quickly bonded with her classmates, made friends, and settled into the group, finding a place for herself among her peers. “They’re like brothers to me,” she said. “I really appreciate them.”
Alexandria’s Career Path Led to Trade School
Alexandria was a good student at Wilmington Area High School in New Wilmington, PA. With a GPA of 3.7, and a variety of extracurriculars that included FFA, basketball, marching and concert bands, track, concert choir, and golf, she had already built a resume that would have gotten her accepted to any number of good colleges. College golf coaches even contacted her about potential scholarship offers. But from the start, Alexandria knew college life wasn’t for her.
“I’m not going to lie. I did not want to go,” she said. “I was bored in high school. If we weren’t doing a lab or something, I just didn’t want to be there. I’d rather work with my hands.”
She thought her lack of interest in school would lead to fewer opportunities in life. “I honestly didn’t think I was going to have a great future. I thought that I going to live in a little house and never actually experience the world, or stuck working behind a desk or something.” It didn’t take long for Alexandria to realize a career in the trades is a good future for her. She’d had an internship at Keystone Compliance the summer before, and while there, Alexandria developed an interest in heating and refrigeration. She decided to try NCST’s Refrigeration and A/C Technology program.
Building Confidence and Heating and Air Skills
Once she got started, Alexandria quickly started building confidence, and she was off to the races. She even says she took offense to people who doubt her.
“I heard people say, ‘IF you graduate,’ not ‘WHEN you graduate.’ I know I’m smart. I was like, ‘There’s no reason I’m not going to graduate.’ I really like it here, and I like what I’m going into.”
Alexandria graduated from the Refrigeration and A/C Technology program in December, and had a job waiting for her at Weiser’s Heating Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, a company located in West Middlesex, Pa. When she was speaking with their reps, she didn’t even realize she was in a job interview.
“I sat down with them, and I didn’t even know it was an interview. I thought it was just a talk with him. After a few minutes they said they would really like me as one of their workers and I was a great fit for them. They offered me the job right then and there.”
A Rewarding Career
“HVAC is one of the best trades to get into,” Alexandria said. “I know a lot of people going into the trades want to do mechanic or electrical, but HVAC is such a good choice. There are so many HVAC companies out there, and they don’t have enough workers.”
At NCST, Alexandria found peers who encouraged her, and instructors who inspired her to work hard and develop skills to begin a job.
“I came here and realized I had a lot of big opportunities to do something with my life,” she said. “I can make money. I can get this stuff that I always wanted. It was a big change in my reality.”
Advice from a Trade School Graduate
Alexandria said NCST changed her perception on education and gave her the confidence to understand when she applies herself, she is capable of great things. When college isn’t a good fit, or even just for hands-on people unsure of what they want to do with their lives, Alexandria said trade school is a good option.
“Trade school in general is one of the best things you can do, and it’s one of the most needed things,” she said. “There are a lot of jobs out there for people coming out of college, but because there are too many people in that field, there is a lot of competition. But come to trade school and you’ll never be out of the job. It is so needed.”