My name is Grant Whitehurst. In 1988, I chose to go to Griffin Technical School. I was still eligible to receive G.I. Bill benefits from being in the U.S. Army from 1977 to 1980. I took a course in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.)

I chose to go to Griffin Tech because it was in my hometown. I started with the intention of studying Major Appliance Repair. After learning about the refrigeration cycle, I could see it would be wiser to keep studying and get a certificate in HVAC repair.

Major Appliance Repair and HVAC repair are closely related. HVAC repair requires knowledge of the refrigeration system as does Major Appliance Repair. After studying the refrigeration system, I knew that I appreciated the knowledge of how to make simple and complex repairs to appliances. To be able to work on HVAC equipment would make me more employable.

While I was in the program, I got a job with a HVAC and plumbing company. This company installed and serviced equipment in homes, businesses, schools, and industries. Working with this company and going to school at Griffin Tech put me on the track of a trade that would carry me as far as I would want to go. My instructor at Griffin Tech was an electrician by trade and refrigeration was secondary in his knowledge. But electrical circuits are a huge part of HVAC work. The electrical portion of the course went over the principles of electricity, electrical circuits, and most of the electrical components of appliances and HVAC equipment.

This instructor was able to help me learn to read an electrical schematic and troubleshoot electrical circuits with the schematic. He also helped me to learn to read a wiring diagram and wire up a residential split system with the diagram. For me, this was the most challenging part of the course. At the start of the course, I learned the principles of refrigeration and heat transfer. These principles are essential to refrigeration and HVAC repair. Any questions I had in these departments he would answer or find an answer.

To receive the certificate for the HVAC course, students were required to take an English course that covered punctuation and proper grammar usage. These skills are helpful to the student who is looking for gainful employment. A course under the heading of psychology was also required. This course served to give the student an idea of what an employer expects in an employee and how a job seeker could use this knowledge in applying for work and interviewing with a prospective employer.

I have worked side by side with employees in the maintenance field who did not get the education I had. They were learning through on-the-job training. None of these employees were as effective and knowledgeable in repairing and installing equipment and machinery as any of the employees who had technical school training. In the apartment maintenance field these service people would often come to me when they encountered problems in electrical circuits or complex mechanical issues.

Our world is becoming more globally unified. Technology is becoming more complex. But it all starts with principles. Most automobiles are still powered by internal combustion engines. Electricity is still the flow of electrons. Conductors and insulators still work the same, and series and parallel circuits are still used in electrical control work. These are some of the fundamentals a technical school graduate will learn in those fields.

The cosmetologist will learn to cut hair properly by learning certain fundamentals and through practice. The nail technician will learn the fundamentals of the sanitation of tools. The Emergency Medical Technician will learn to move a person safely without further damage to any injuries they have already suffered. The fireman will learn how to go into a dark, burning building and remove those who are injured or disoriented to safety by learning and practicing the fundamentals of fire and smoke and the techniques of how to carry people larger than them.

Technical schools are always a good choice for the person who wishes to move ahead in the world. Many technical schools also offer Associates and Bachelor’s degrees in many fields. Specialized training not only gives a person the tools they need to become successful in the working world, but they also empower a person and give them a sense of accomplishment and personal satisfaction.