Architecture & Construction

Noel Russell

HVACR Technician

High school: James River High School ('99), Chesterfield Technical Center

Career & Technical Ed. Program Studied: HVAC I & II

Additional Studies/Training: Apprenticeship

High School HVAC Studies Served as a Springboard for this Student’s Career

Noel Russell’s father was a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) technician, so she grew up around the field…but she never really expected to enter it herself.

Then, when her senior year arrived, Noel had only two required academic classes, and wanted to take some electives at Chesterfield Technical Center.

“So I brought home some books from the Tech Center, and dad thought I should give it [HVAC] a try…. I fell in love with it, and stuck with it.

“What’s nice about starting in high school is that you get so many classroom hours that you need for your journeyman’s card, plus you can get a year in the field with an apprenticeship. So then, after high school, you only have to work four years to get your journeyman’s card….I also got my CFC card there [an industry-required certification for handling chlorofluorocarbons], and that was the main thing you had to learn in order for anyone to hire you.”

Noel discovered that the HVAC program also paved the way for workplace experiences through an apprenticeship opportunity. “My apprenticeship was a turning point; that gave me a really big head start….” Because of that apprenticeship, Noel says, “I didn’t have the stress that a lot of students have when they graduate; I already knew where I was going to work, and what to expect. “

Today, she does residential HVAC service work, handling preventative maintenance and repairs—and she still enjoys what she does. “I like meeting people. I like the challenge of it; it’s like being tested every day…it’s like doing a puzzle every day.”