Moving to a new career takes courage, especially at a certain age.
I worked in the hospitality industry for many years.
In fact, I began waitressing while still in high school, and knew this was what I wanted to do with my life. Things were amazing, and I was working for a top restaurant in the city. However, the pandemic was an eye opening time, and I saw the fragility of this industry. When things are tough, restaurants, hotels, and travel are the first to suffer. I wanted an industry with more stability, and began to do my research. I did manage to get some writing gigs for remote jobs during quarantine and this is when I was first introduced to the HVAC industry. Through the articles I was writing, I began to research more about heating and cooling, and working as an HVAC service expert. Then, one time I had a conversation with an HVAC expert about his job. He’d come to my house in 2021 to do cooling maintenance after a year of not doing any due to the scary conditions. While he helped ensure my cooling system was in the best condition, he talked to me about his job, where he went to school, and how it has been for him. Then, after he left, I checked out the college, and by the end of the week I was enrolled. My dad had offered to pay half the costs, and I catered for the rest. I still had my HVAC writing gig, and also got my hours back at the restaurant, but I knew this time I wasn’t staying for long. It’s been two challenging years but I can finally say I am a qualified HVAC service expert, and the future is bright.