Ronnie R. moved to South Florida from New Jersey three years ago to take a manager's position with the pest control company where he was employed at the time. While Ronnie enjoyed the hands-on work he was doing, he couldn’t knock his childhood dream of being an engineer out of his head.
Ronnie was looking for schools and programs that offered Commercial Driver's License (CDL) training when he found Boca Helping Hands. When he met with BHH Admissions & Care Coordinator Jennifer Disla and discussed his interests, skills, and goals, he realized that working toward a CDL license wasn’t for him.
“She [Disla] asked if my heart was really in it [CDL], and it wasn’t. I wanted to be a [Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning] HVAC engineer,” Ronnie said. At the time, BHH didn’t offer HVAC training - but that didn’t keep it off his mind. Ronnie received a call from Disla when HVAC was incorporated into BHH’s offerings, and he jumped at the opportunity.
Ronnie is now in his second year of the four-year HVAC apprenticeship with ABC Institute and is working hard, juggling his daytime job and nighttime classes. Ronnie is also in Phase Three of BHH’s Job Training Program, Job Mentoring. Scott Lawlor, a longtime BHH volunteer as well as the founder, chief executive officer, and chief investment officer at Waypoint Residential, is serving as his mentor.
“I try to be as much of a resource as I can,” Lawlor said. He has put Ronnie in contact with one of his company contractors to give Ronnie tips and direction for when he starts looking for opportunities.
“Job Mentoring has definitely been a highlight from my time with Boca Helping Hands,” Ronnie said. “I can really see myself going forward in this industry now. And I’m realizing it’s who you know, not necessarily what you know.”
Ronnie looks forward to completing the program at ABC Institute and doing contract work while building a business plan for his own local, family-run HVAC company.
Supported by the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, our Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) apprenticeship is one of 11 free training programs offered to the community.
