J.C. Newman remembers exactly when all the knowledge he gathered during his NexTech Academy HVAC training clicked. He recently recalled the personal career momentum and self-confidence he felt that day, while riding with his mentor and manager.
“It’s the moment I’ll never forget,” explained J.C., air conditioning technician at Roscoe Brown, a third-generation HVAC and plumbing company and Nexstar Network member in Tennessee serving communities in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Tullahoma, and McMinnville.
“I remember thinking, I have all this knowledge in my head but can’t paste it to paper to really quantify it. There was a ride along with my mentor who I shadowed during my NexTech Academy training. We just had lunch and were on a call with a customer who was having issues. As I was watching him work and examine refrigerant levels, he also took time to update the customer on progress. I noticed his professional approach and how he presented himself. I thought, this is it. I can do this.”
Since that moment, J.C. has moved full steam ahead in his technical career. He utilizes the six-months of hands-on learnings and soft skills he gained by being a part of Roscoe Brown’s immersive NexTech Academy. The curriculum integrates Nexstar Network’s best practices paired with step-by-step technical training and is designed to help an employee with little trade experience become a confident and competent technician. “My NexTech training was pretty enjoyable,” J.C. explained. “I loved how during our courses the Wakeup Call videos brought in the psychological skills we need for the customer-facing part of the job. I completed the air conditioning path of the HVAC curriculum which includes NexTech’s technical training. We also spent time perfecting our soft skills, such as customer service, helping to put a customer at ease, answering their questions, and learning how to ask good questions That was my favorite part by far.”
“Another one of my key NexTech takeaways is, ‘You learn more when you have the unknowing,” J.C. reflected. “What that means to me is when I’ve taken time to learn and acquire more knowledge, which pushes me to work even harder, learn even more. Those little nuggets of ‘known’ add up over time.”
After completing his NexTech training, J.C. is excited and grateful. “Obviously work can get overwhelming at times, but it feels good to have a career that I can build for myself and my family. I’d also like to thank Norman Brown and the Roscoe Brown team for taking a chance on me. It’s rare to receive all the assets they provided me to learn while being paid to go through schooling.”
J.C. is already paying it forward with two of Roscoe Brown’s junior helpers who now shadow J.C. “I don’t like to call them helpers, they’re much more than that. They are my co-partners as we’re out in the van and on calls together,” he explained.
It’s no surprise that J.C. is the type of all-star employee that Roscoe Brown looks to hire for their NexTech Academy training, explained Lindsey Powers Joyner, the company’s recruitment manager. “J.C. has a fantastic attitude. He keeps the office lively and is always jumping in to help. J.C. is a rare breed with his positive approach, and his consistently outstanding customer reviews.”
Looking ahead, J.C. already his sights set on what is next. “I don’t want to get bored or complacent. I want to be in the field as long as I can gain those nuggets of knowledge and serve customers. Someday I’d like to move into a sales or comfort advisor role where I can continue to make a difference.”
