Octavio Aranda

Universal Technical Institute

Coupland, Texas

Since I was seven or eight years old, my dad would take me to his job at the construction site. He would wake me up at 6:00 am to go to work with him. I never understood why, until he told me that he told me that he wanted me to become a man at a really young age.

Cyrus Martin-Belk

Del Mar College – Windward Campus

Ingleside, Texas

Homeless at 8. In the top ten at 18. Through God’s help, the help of my step-grandmother, teachers, and coaches I will achieve my goals of going to Del Mar College to become an HVAC technician.

Ashonte Ross

Lamson Institute

San Antonio, Texas

I researched trades that would fulfill my desire to help people, and I landed on HVAC. Even though this is entirely new territory, I am excelling in my classes and brimming with excitement for starting my new career.

Mariano Serrano

HCC Central Campus

Houston, Texas

HVAC isn’t something you can just pick up overnight – it takes time and effort to become really good at it. But I’m up for the challenge. I want to learn everything there is to know about heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems so that I can provide the best service possible to my customers.

Victor Barajas

Greenville Technical College

Simpsonville, South Carolina

I don’t just plan on doing HVACR at GSCC. I want to be known, I want my name to be out there in the most positive ways ever.

Eduardo Franchise

Gadsden State Valley

Gadsden, Alabama

When I was making my decision about what path I wanted to pursue after high school, I initially was going to go into another trade. After consulting family and mentors, I decided to go into HVAC and couldn’t be happier. After graduation, I have a long-term vision of starting an employee-owned HVAC business.

Amanda Mitchell

Tarrant County College

Fort Worth, Texas

I’ve done other technical work in other industries, but HVAC has been blowing up so much in the last 5-10 years that I just really wanted to why everyone was so happy and what it would be like to grow and learn in a job.

Elber Ortiz Guzman

Minneapolis College

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Going to college was always something that I always wanted, but I never had that option before. When I came to the USA from Mexico the only option I had was to work and that is the only thing I did. Now that going to college is an option for me, I will accomplish a passion that I always wanted.

Alex Sayer

Northern Michigan University

Hesperia, Michigan

HVAC was something I really enjoyed and it never seemed to get boring with always moving around and completely changing jobs 3 to 4 times a day depending on how long the call took. After 3 months of work I decided I would like an associates degree in this field of work knowing that this would help me in the long run.

Logan Clark

TCAT Upper Cumberland

Rockwood, Tennessee

I’m hoping that this field will support me in the coming years while I start my life and grow my family. My plan is to start my own business and although it will be very demanding, I am still thrilled at the fact that these are opportunities that I have the chance to do.

Sang Hnin

Fortis College

Indianapolis, Indiana

More than 20,000 Burmese people live in Indianapolis, but many of them cannot speak English. When they have problems with their airconditioning and heat, it is very difficult for them to call an expert, because they do not speak English. If I can finish this program (HVACR), I will be a big help for my community.

Matthew Breen

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

Concord, North Carolina

HVAC as a career combines the desire for little to no student debt, job stability, hands-on work that I can be proud of, diversity, the opportunity to help people, following in my grandfather’s footsteps and the potential for growth and advancement makes an HVAC career appealing to me.

Luis Marquez

Riverside Community College

Perris, California

Problem solving is an important skill to help you excel in an HVAC career, and it’s something I enjoy doing. Solutions to issues are not always simple, and creativity often needs to be paired with technical knowledge. I enjoy challenging tasks; this career path is an excellent choice.

Landon Schmidt

Dunwoody College of Technology

Mahtomedi, Minnesota

Something that excites me about pursuing a career in the HVAC field after being in school for some time is how you are constantly learning or discovering new industry trends that you may have to adjust to during your career. So it has the possibility of every day bringing something new to the table to keep it engaging and interesting in the future.

Ethan Peavey

CVTC Energy Education Center

Glen Flora, Wisconsin

HVAC technicians work in a wide variety of locations, often traveling to different work sites and interacting with new people which is good for someone like me that can’t see themselves at a typical “desk” job.

Ryan Welte

Blackhawk Technical College

Roscoe, Illinois

One summer I was talking to my neighbor and discovered he worked in the HVACR field. I was fascinated with the memories he shared with me and that there were so many construction fields that I had never heard of. From then on I held many conversations with him as we stood together by our backyard fence. He was even kind enough to take me along with him for some of his calls and I realized that HVACR was a trade that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Lucas Crow

Bevill State Community College

Houston, Alabama

Whether that be working for someone in an excellent company or maybe even one day owning my own company and helping individuals in the world keep their houses cool in the summertime and nice and warm in the wintertime, HVAC has already opened the door to countless friendships and small job opportunities.

Joseph Davis

Blinn College

Shiner, Texas

It all seemed interesting how these machines could convert energy into cold or hot air. I thought that it sounded intriguing to do, and after he said the school would be no more than two years I was set on being an HVAC Technician.

Victor Imhoff

College of DuPage

Plainfield, Illinois

My service as an army reservist was the single most influential endeavor of my life. During my time I met and had a great number of influential people that I served with. One of those people was Leroy Haugland, a Command Sergeant Major, who was in charge of thousands of the enlisted soldiers. But back home he was a simple man who was a self-employed HVACR contractor, so we enjoyed many conversations about our specific trades as well as challenges of our individual roles as military leaders.

Colton VanGheem

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

Green Bay, Wisconsin

With autism it can sometimes be hard to communicate with others so I know when I work with customers I will have the understanding that we are not all the same and to show patience and understanding of all types of people. I believe that I am a good candidate for a scholarship because of my determination to not give up and pursue a career that is right for me that will benefit my community.

Jennifer Vera

Riverside City College

Fontana, California

Receiving this scholarship would be an honor and it would allow me to put more time and effort into my studies as I am a full time worker which makes it hard to schedule classes. I have really enjoyed my classes and can not wait to get deeper into this career.

Gabriel Xavier

Florida State College at Jacksonville

Jacksonville, Florida

I was studying Information Technology and just couldn’t seem to find myself in it. That’s when a few friends of mine started hinting at HVAC/R. I had an idea, but I never really knew what HVAC/R consists of before they told me. But as soon as I started to deep dive into it, I knew I had found myself.

Maxwell Koskodan

Ferris State University

Dryden, Michigan

Being active and working with my hands rather than sitting at a desk is important to me. With the evolving changes related to energy efficiency, HVAC/R professionals will continue to be needed well into the future, which yields high job security and satisfaction.

Juan Soto

Perry Technical Institute

Wapato, Washington

The satisfaction of knowing that my work directly improves the comfort and health of people in their homes and workplaces is a significant motivator for me. Moreover, HVAC is a field that is continually advancing with new technologies aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact. The push towards greener technologies and sustainable practices aligns with my personal values and my interest in contributing to environmental conservation.

Cynthia Ibarra

Emily Griffith Technical College

Westminster, Colorado

My interest in this trade grew when I realized it was more than just pursuing a career, I hope that one day my achievements in this can also be part of helping more females want to step out of their comfort zone and pursue what they enjoy and break/end the stereotypes in the trade industry.

Terry Sutton

West Georgia Tech

Douglasville, Georgia

I am interested in an HVAC career because I want to own my own business. I want to have a company, set my hours, work as much as I want, and make as much as I can. I could go to medical or dental school to own my own business, but I don’t want to wait that long. I also could come up with a great invention and market it to the world. But instead of trying to invent something, it might be easier to just look at other people’s inventions and try to see if it will work for me as well.

Jacob Williams

Northeast Community College

Wilber, Nebraska

While technology is changing daily; many of the trades are going to still be in existence and not be absorbed by technology advancements. The information, training, and skills I will obtain while obtaining my HVAC degree will allow for promotional opportunities and ensure job stability.

Amari Paige

College of DuPage

Addison, Illinois

I am pursuing the HVAC field to support me and my five year old son. I am a single father looking to better myself and also start my career, and I feel like this is a good opportunity to do different. I’m not shy from getting my hands dirty or hard work, and the HVAC craft is something new that I enjoy because it is very hands-on.

Eric Acosta

Lincoln Technical Institute

Elmwood Park, New Jersey

At present, I manage maintenance at a hotel, where I’m already involved in HVAC systems. This exposure has sparked my interest in this field. With four children relying on me, the responsibility to provide for them weighs heavily. Despite the challenges, I see pursuing an HVAC career as a viable opportunity to improve our circumstances.

Dennis Grubb

Northeast Community College

Mooresville, Indiana

HVAC systems are intricate and multifaceted. From designing ductwork layouts to troubleshooting complex refrigeration circuits, every day brings new challenges. I thrive on solving puzzles—figuring out why a furnace isn’t igniting, diagnosing refrigerant leaks, or optimizing airflow distribution. The blend of mechanical, electrical, and thermodynamic principles keeps my mind engaged and sharp.