October 19th, 2007 by admin
This blog entry is a little different. Today, I’m going to talk about working as an electrician, or in electrical technologies. That’s another career track that RSI offers, and it’s a pretty strong one.
When I think about going into a career, the first thing I do is check a site called the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS for short. You can check it out here: Bureau of Labor Statistics. It’s a government site that can tell you lots of details about a job you’re interested in. You can learn about the job functions, the salary you’ll earn, and whether your job will stick around for years to come. This is all pretty important — as you go through life, you’ll want to buy a house and a reliable car, probably. And, if you’re interested in parenthood, kids can be expensive. A secure, high-paying job is hard to come by nowadays — but it’s one of the best things ever. Read the rest of this entry »
October 19th, 2007 by admin
Getting out into the working world can lead you to meet some very famous people. I met Bill Cowher when he was still coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers football team. I’ve also met Rolling Stone journalist P.J. O’Rourke, singer Christina Aguilera, and Social Distortion punk-rock legend Mike Ness. Meeting Bill Cowher was a big one, though. I’m from Pittsburgh, where everyone loves football. It was a pretty big deal when Pittsburgh got a brand-new football stadium a few years back.
This led me to thinking about the new Arizona Cardinals stadium. That building has so many air conditioning and cooling units. I wonder how many HVAC techs and installers they need to work on the stadium! I’m guessing a lot. I’m also wondering how many famous athletes stadium workers get to meet. I’m guessing, also, a lot. Read the rest of this entry »
August 31st, 2007 by admin
I’ve been keeping track of the news lately and yesterday they reported an unexpected jump in unemployment insurance claims for last month. That got me thinking about the HVACR career and how versatile it really is. What people don’t realize is that when everything else is slow and people or companies start tightening their budgets, the one thing that is stable is climate control and refrigeration. Read the rest of this entry »
August 31st, 2007 by admin
I had the opportunity to visit recently with one of our graduates from 1981. He is an Operations Manager for a nationwide HVAC manufacturerer/supplier/service company.
One of the greatest things he said to me about this industry was “Someone that wants to learn can go anywhere in the world. With the training and experience I have - I don’t think there is anything I can’t do in construction, and it all started at RSI.”
Just try and think about a structure that doesn’t need climate control (air conditioning, heating, air flow, etc.) of some kind, or refrigeration (refrigerators, freezers, ice machines, drink dispencers, etc.). I bet it will take you a while….
August 27th, 2007 by admin
I was talking to someone yesterday about the refrigeration, heating & air conditioning industry and it was yet another example of how most people don’t realize how versatile this industry is. As I explained the different career paths, their eyes lit up and the light came on! This isn’t just about the box attached to the house, although that is a very important part of the industry. This is about the large systems on the office buildings for heating and cooling, sports and concert arena climate control, refrigeration restaurant equipment, water treatment, ice for ice skating, soda machines, store refrigerators, remote climate control systems, schools, portable air conditioning units for the military, and so on…. Read the rest of this entry »
