Thirty years ago, Zac Harris would get annoyed whenever his then father-in-law would point at a home or structure in their neighborhood and proudly say, “I put the A/C in that building.”
At the time, Harris had just finished 18 years in the Army and Navy. And while his father-in-law was a proud HVAC technician with a set career path, Harris was in his mid-30s, unsure of what to do next.
The military was a big part of his identity. His grandparents, parents and sisters all served. Most of his time was spent as a Navy combat engineer, where Harris worked with his hands and helped people every day. He loved the brotherhood of the military and was proud of his work.
Now, he was searching for a job to fill those voids.
At first, Harris wanted to be a diesel mechanic. But he was told he was overqualified. Then he went to school to be a surgical assistant, but realized the pay wasn’t enough. Then he tried to be a cop, but was told that with tattoos, it’d be difficult to find a job.
His father-in-law encouraged Harris to try HVAC. The trade was a fruitful career path, he said, and he could teach him how to do it. But Harris felt unqualified. Everything he’d learned in the military did not feel transferrable to an industry he knew nothing about.
“I didn't think that a lot of the skills I had were something I could use in the civilian world,” Harris said.
“I was lost.”
Disciplined, fast-learners
Troy Daland has seen that story play out again and again.
The owner of Air Zero Air Conditioning in Tampa, Florida, served 24 years in the Air Force, and he’s seen many veterans struggle to understand how their military traits apply to the civilian workforce.
What they don’t realize, Daland explained, is that many of those traits, like simply showing up on time, are universal—and needed.
“In the first (civilian) job I had out of the military in 2019, it was eye-opening that people got away with not showing up and doing the work,” Daland said. “Of course that exists in the military. But (I quickly learned that) people showing up late doesn't seem to bother anyone—and they're not held accountable for it.”
Veterans, Daland said, are trained to show up early. They’re trained to learn fast, to deal with stress, to lead, be vocal, solve problems, and work well with others.
“There's a certain skill set and a certain level of discipline that comes with folks who came out of that (military) environment,” Daland said.
That’s why, when he bought Air Zero in 2021, he knew he wanted to hire some veterans to fill out his staff.
And he had a few ideas as to where he’d find them.
‘Different kind of service’
When co-founders Rob Holmes and Marvin Key created the trainee program for ForgeNow ’s seven-week technician course, he knew some students would recognize the format.
“I think anybody who has gone through the military and sees what we're doing, they laugh and say, ‘All you guys did was copy basic (military) training,’” said Holmes, the co-founder and president of ForgeNow. “Maybe we're not that creative, but we know when something works.”
Just like the military, ForgeNow trains their students “full-time, intensely and hands-on,” Holmes said. Their HVAC, plumbing, electrical and facilities maintenance programs in Dallas, Texas, equip and credential students to become apprentices in seven weeks, followed by help with job placement.
Holmes is a veteran himself, and many of ForgeNow’s students are veterans, too.
“Of our over 1,200 graduates that we've put into the trades the last three years, over 500 of them have been veterans,” Holmes said. “We've created a launching pad for everybody. But for veterans in particular, it's been a real launching pad that's helped them transition from service into a different kind of service.”
Daland has hired technicians via ForgeNow. And he’s not the only shop owner who asks the training center for veterans.
“Employers are looking for the military talent because of their previous experiences, rather than the training they're receiving here at ForgeNow,” said John Voit, an employer engagement manager and veteran at ForgeNow.
“We give (our students) the basics and foundation of their trade…but (the veterans) already have that life experience and that skill set from the military. It's so easily transferable.”
A new path
Nowadays, Harris drives around the Tampa area in a truck that has an Air Zero logo, en route to his next appointment as the shop’s newest service and production manager.
“I’m 15 minutes early to everything,” he said. “I'm never late.”
Harris indeed took his father-in-law’s advice 30 years ago, learning HVAC on-the-fly in the field. And the more he started digging into his new career, the more he realized just how much his military experiences applied.
“Whether it's leadership, how to plan something, how to organize,” Harris said. “I may not be going to the warehouse to pick up bullets and hand grenades, but I'm picking up this, this, and this, and I have to make sure I have this quantity, that quantity and this quantity. The same thing I did in the military, it's just a different item.”
Daland, who utilizes multiple programs to find and connect with veterans, found Harris the old- fashioned way: word of mouth. He’s the sixth veteran Daland has hired since 2021.
“It's showing up on time. It's the discipline,” Daland said. “If (Harris) doesn't understand something, he's going to figure it out. Those are traits that we're looking for. And that's what Zac brings to bear.”
Harris said the past 30 years in the trades have provided him his “house, cars and all my toys.” But it has also filled some of those military voids. He’s developed close bonds with co-workers over the years. He still gets to work with his hands. He loves helping people. And he's starting a family tradition.
“When my son got out of the military last August, he went into the trades,” Harris said. “He's following in my footsteps.”
He even sometimes finds himself driving around the neighborhood, pointing at buildings and homes, doing the same thing that once annoyed him years ago.
“Now that I've been in this trade for 30 years, I realize I say the same thing (with pride): ‘Yeah, I put the A/C in that building.’”
Interested in hiring veterans?
Daland suggests programs such as ForgeNow, Transition to Trades and Trane’s Trade Warriors. He’d also love to answer any questions you have. Email him at troy@airzero.com.
