After 10-months in the HVAC program at Pontotoc Technology Center (PTC) during the 2021-2022 school year, student Justin Martin immediately landed a great job with Shaver Plumbing, Heating and Air, LLC. Martin has since moved to Cool Daddy’s Heat & Air. He recently returned to PTC to speak with students about his experience inside and outside the classroom and provide a little motivation for those just now starting their journey.
Martin’s membership in SkillsUSA has been one of the highlights of his experience at PTC. Competing at District (and winning Gold) he was also a State level qualifier. His membership introduced him to other opportunities as well, which led to him receiving a 2022 Clifford “Ted” Rees Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by SkillsUSA and the Air-Condition, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). This one time scholarship allowed Justin to apply $2,500 towards his tuition. However, since his tuition was already paid (through other scholarships), he was approved to use the money to purchase tools to help him grow his business.
HVAC Instructor, Michael Beach, says, “Justin definitely sets the bar high by being so involved in SkillsUSA and achieving the success he has through scholarships, but his success in the workplace, getting a good paying job with the knowledge and skills he received from PTC is the expectation for my students, not the exception. I’m very proud of Justin and all my students and their successes.”
Martin says about his chosen field, “I love working with my hands, troubleshooting issues, and helping people. When asked if he could share something unexpected about his experience, he says, “Be ready for hot days!”
12-02-2022 UPDATE: Justin got his Journeyman license in November of 2022. This means that he literally went through the program and got all the way to becoming a full journeyman in 15 months.