Contracting Firm's Founder Urges Trades Education
TRADES ADVOCATE: John Akhoian became a plumbing apprentice at age 17 and founded his first company at age 19. (Courtesy of Rooter Hero Plumbing & Air)
MISSION HILLS, Calif. — The founder of Rooter Hero Plumbing & Air, a HVAC and plumbing company serving residential and commercial customers in California and Arizona, says the high cost of a four-year college degree and the ability to earn a good living quickly are two reasons graduating high school seniors should consider a career in the skilled trades.
“A series of international trade agreements that moved factories abroad; a stigma against blue-collar workers, and authority figures pushing college over trade school motivated young people to steer clear of the skilled trades,” said Rooter Hero CEO John Akhoian in a press release. “That led a whole generation into believing there was either no future in the trades or that you could not earn a living wage as an HVAC technician or plumber. Neither of those myths are true, and we should do a better job of explaining that to graduating seniors.”
As more high school graduates opted to go to college in the 1970s, the cost of attending also began a steep increase. Beginning in the late 1980s and continuing today, the price of a college degree has risen so much that most students are forced to take out thousands of dollars in student loans to get an education.
Akhoian said that many white-collar careers require a bachelor’s or master’s degree, which means four to six years in school, while most trade school programs last only 18 to 24 months.
“That means that you can get started on your career — and start earning a paycheck — earlier in life,” he said. “If you get an apprenticeship, you can even earn a living while you learn. These jobs are also stable and pay well. Plumbing and HVAC jobs cannot be outsourced or moved to another part of the country.”
Akhoian personally knows the benefits of choosing a career in the skilled trades at a young age. When he was a teenager, his father died, leaving Akhoian with the task of providing for his family. With no skills to lean on, the Rooter Hero founder became an apprentice plumber at 17, and learned the ropes before starting his first plumbing company at 19.
“The trades are great careers that workers can take pride in,” he said. “If you like working with your hands, solving problems, and want to start a lucrative career quickly, you can’t go wrong by choosing to be a plumber, an HVAC technician, or an electrician.”
Looking for quick answers on air conditioning, heating and refrigeration topics? Try Ask ACHR NEWS, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ACHR NEWS
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
