FROSTlines
The Importance of Being a Mentor
Senior HVACR techs should help train the next generation
MENTORING TECHS: Senior techs should help guide newer techs in their journey to become better technicians.
Learning our trade is no easy task. System designs and components are constantly evolving, making how we install, service, and maintain equipment evolve. As technologies change, technicians need to become well-versed in these changes while staying well-informed on the older designs and components. Added to these changes are the various refrigerants, components, and designs used by different manufacturers. All of this can be quite challenging for any technician — and overwhelming for any new technician entering our trade.
Experience is a plus when faced with troubleshooting and repairing these diverse systems. Seasoned technicians who have worked on the older designs and components are better able to adapt when encountering a new design or component. New technicians could have a very difficult time moving between the older systems and the new systems as they learn the trade.
It is not uncommon for new technicians to have many questions as they work on the diverse equipment that they encounter. However, many new technicians tend to be apprehensive when they need to ask a question. Afraid of getting the all-too-common response, “You don’t know that? What did they teach you in trade school?”, they may be less likely to ask a second or third question or any questions in the future.
In my opinion, this is a big mistake.
Technicians need to understand that learning our trade can be challenging, and different trade schools may focus more on one topic over another. For example, some trade schools may focus heavily on residential HVAC equipment and less on commercial HVAC and refrigeration systems. A new technician working on some type of commercial equipment for the first time may have questions, and this is by no means the fault of the trade school. There is only so much information a trade school can present to a student in the timeframe of a program, so some areas of the trade must be learned on the job.
Another huge issue is when a newer technician makes a mistake on a job, and other technicians belittle them in front of their coworkers. This is hurting the industry and the company that employs them.
Senior technicians should always mentor newer technicians and give the guidance they need to be better technicians. They need to remember back when they were learning the trade, they most likely had many questions. They need to remember to “pay it forward,” helping and educating the newer technicians so they can also become better technicians.
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It’s puzzling why some technicians treat other technicians this way — maybe they are afraid of losing their jobs to these newer technicians. Today, that should not be an issue, as there are more jobs needed than trained technicians available to fill them. Maybe some of these technicians do not know the answer to the question. Instead of saying “I don’t know” and then maybe finding out the answer together, they become defensive and push the technician away with their degrading attitude. Again, another mistake. There is no shame in not knowing.
Technicians need to actively help each other and remember to “pay it forward” when working with other technicians. Senior technicians should encourage newer technicians to become more active in learning the trade and guide them in their journey to become better technicians. All of this helps our industry grow and prosper.
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