Johnny Short

Johnny Short is an employee of Colonial Webb and also a student at the Fairfax County Public Schools Continuing Education System. He is a Heating & Ventilation Air-Conditioning Installer-Servicer (HVAC) apprentice and is in his third year of the required four-year course. The USDOL Apprenticeship Program is a combination of on-the-job training and related classroom instruction in which workers learn the practical and theoretical aspects of a highly skilled occupation. Apprenticeship programs are sponsored by joint employer and labor groups, individual employers, and/or employer associations.

Johnny is at the top of his class with an “A” which makes him very happy as his employer will reimburse any grade of “B” and better. Johnny paid for his first year of class himself as he was then working at a very small company. He has since moved on to a firm that supports the apprenticeship program with this reimbursement opportunity. Johnny has received two raises in the year he has been at Colonial Webb and one promotion, in part because he shows the desire to improve by taking classes.

Once he finishes his third year, Johnny plans on enrolling at Northern Virginia Community College, which has an agreement with the Virginia Apprenticeship Program to give three semesters worth of credit for the HVAC classes. With the completion of five more community college classes, Johnny will have his Associate’s degree as well as his journeyman’s certificate and at this time, plans to pursue a masters certification. John says that someday, he would like to open his own HVAC business.

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