HVACR NewsMagazine December 2017

me if they are dumb.” Now how does that sound. You got it. Some might say that, if their employees are in classes with other apprentices, they will talk and may decide they’d rather work for someone else. Let’s look at that. You know they already talk at the supply house and in their personal lives. Maybe we should focus on what we can do to build loyalty instead of trying to build an impossible isolation cocoon. Guys frequently leave one company for another for a 50 cent or $1 raise. That is one great advantage of the apprenticeship program. A man doesn’t have to leave you to get a raise. The apprenticeship program has built in earned raises so there is no advantage to leaving you. Now what he does after the three year apprenticeship program is up to you. That is where you have to ask yourself, “Why would someone stay with me?” “Why would they want to work anywhere else?” If you can answer that, you don’t have to worry about an apprenticeship being a path to loosing employees. One thing is sure, the apprenticeship program is more likely to keep them for the three years of the apprenticeship program. One of my friends has a sign in his office that says, “Some say, if I train my employees, they might leave me. Ask yourself, what if you don’t train them and they stay?” And, my friend remember this, if they have the itch, they are going to scratch it.

Get Trained Before You See This Arkansas Highway Police / Arkansas DOT is serious about commercial vehicles obeying the law. The law is new to most HVACR contractors but ignorance is no excuse. Fines are steep. The Association will be sponsoring training sessions in the spring to help you abide by the regulations. Road compliance is easy as long as you know the rules; however, the office paperwork is a bear. Watch for the training in your area. It can save you $$ thousands $$.  If you own a ¾ ton truck and pull a tandem axel trailer, you are a commercial vehicle and must comply.  If you own a 1 ton truck, you are a commercial vehicle and must comply.  If you own any vehicle with a (1) GVWR over 10,000 lbs and (2) travel out of state, you are a commercial vehicle and must have a DOT number and must comply.

Watch for Training Announcements