Guest Speaker Jiva: March–April HVAC Workshop Completion

Acknowledging the Class

It is impressive — the level of progress that everyone has made. And it reminds me of just a couple of terms ago, we had a young individual come in here who had absolutely no sense of HVAC. I hate to say it, but he was a little bit lost in life.

And I like to think that we were part of that transition — just like we’re part of all of y’all’s transition — to make life so much better.

Introducing a Former Student

With that, I want to introduce a young gentleman who was here a couple of terms ago. He’s going to say a couple of words — hopefully not more than what, say, Peter would say. (Sometimes I say things out loud that I shouldn’t. Geez.)

All right — come on up here.

G’s Return to Speak

Thank you. I see you, too. Here you go — you’ve got to use this. Y’all can hear me in the background? No? You’ve got to use this because of the microphone. Look. Sorry. There you go.

So yeah, I didn’t know we were doing this — I thought it was going to be at the end!

My name is G. I was in this class back in October and November. I graduated on November 22nd, 2024.

Why I’m Here

Pretty much, I’m here to express my gratitude toward the staff here at Second Chance University and HVAC Technical Academy — Danny, Andrew, Robert (is he here?), Chris, and everybody else who played a part.

What I Thought in the Beginning

To some of you just starting out — if you were thinking like me — you may have thought this was a small class, a small school, and maybe not the “real deal” compared to major schools. But I’m here to tell you that the value you get from this school is tremendous.

Putting It Into Practice

I took the knowledge and applied it in real life. I’ve been in HVAC since January 3rd. I work for a company in Orlando, Florida.

My manager told me, “You know more than any other first-time employee we’ve hired straight out of school.” That just goes to show the value we get here — this school is very hands-on, and what you learn is immediately applicable.

Full-Time in My Own Van

After just two and a half months, I was placed in my own van, running service calls by myself. Unless there’s an install, I’ll usually work solo — or sometimes with a helper and senior tech.

This isn’t just from the classroom. I’ve continued to educate myself — and you will need to do the same if you want to take this career seriously. There are books, YouTube videos, live events — keep learning.

My Background — Why This Matters

I want to share a bit about my background. This is Second Chance University — and it’s named that for a reason.

I have a checkered past. I did four years in prison and got out on July 29, 2024. I’m currently on house arrest. And yet — I’m in HVAC. I made it.

It’s not something I celebrate, but I share it to say: You can do it, too. No matter your past or current struggles — if you want something, you can go get it.

More Than a Career

This school doesn’t just teach HVAC — it instills moral principles and values you can build on to become the best version of yourself.

Whether you want HVAC as a lifelong career or just a stepping stone, this is a solid foundation. There are so many opportunities that can come from this.

Thank You and A Quick Story

Thank you to Andrew, Elaine, Danny, Robert, Chris, and the whole team at Tropical Air. I also want to congratulate all of you students on completing this course.

Now, quick story — when I found out about the school, I called Danny right away and said, “I want to join.” He said they already had nine students, and someone else was being considered for the tenth spot.

I told him, “Danny, I’m going to be that tenth person.”

At that time, I was just some random guy on the phone — but I knew I was going to make it happen.

Funding and Determination

I got funded through CareerSource, and I’m grateful to them for expediting the process. It usually takes three weeks — but I needed an answer by the next day to get into the school. They helped make it happen.

Where You’re Headed

Did you guys get your EPA results yet? Not yet? You confident? Not confident? (I’m just messing with you. It’s all good.)

What you’re doing now — this is just the start. I instill this in you because this can be you.

Lessons That Last

One of the biggest lessons Andrew taught me was to be thorough and do things the right way.

At work, even when I’m told to hurry or cut corners, I stick to what I learned here. I take pride in my work — and it shows. I get great feedback from clients who call the company just to praise what I’ve done.

My managers recently had a review with me. They told me, “People love the way you explain things. They appreciate how professional and thorough you are.”

That’s a direct result of what I learned here — especially from Andrew.

Final Words

Be thorough. Do it the right way. Keep educating yourself. Whatever this path leads to — I wish you the best.

Congratulations again for completing the course.
Thank you.