"I also knew I didn't want to do the office grind, every single day. I work well with my hands, so I started looking for a job that would allow me to do that, and give me freedom from the boredom of the office world."
Ben had heard good things about GBC from friends, and started looking through the college website.
"When I was working at the call centre, I was trained for my job in a couple of days, so I knew I could be replaced just as fast," says Ben. "I was looking for something where I'd be trained in a recognized and specialized skill set, like a plumber or electrician."
When Ben came across the Heating, Refrigeration and A/C Technician program, he warmed up to the idea right away.
"In a country like Canada we always need heating in the winter and cooling in the summer," he says. "So I knew that it was a pretty safe profession in that there would always be a demand for my skills."
Ben liked the downtown location of George Brown and that he would get his Ontario Gas Fitter 2 license after completing a two-year program, while with other programs he would have to wait an extra year.
"Other colleges offer more of a design aspect over three years, but the program at George Brown is really focused on getting you out into the field as a service person right away," Ben explains.
Ben also liked that all the instructors had a lot of work experience, and that in most lab classes there were about 10 students to every instructor. If he had a question, it was answered in detail on a personal level.
After graduation, he was hired as a service technician by Roccair, a small independent contractor that does a wide variety of jobs around the city.
"We have several industrial contracts, we take care of industrial chillers and burners, A/C and heating units, as well as restaurant work," he says. "Every day there's something different."
Ben feels well-equipped to succeed in his industry thanks to George Brown. "In fact," he says, "My brother enrolled in a mechanical tool and die program after seeing my success, and realizing that university isn't the only option," he says. "George Brown gave me all the tools I needed to succeed in this industry right away."
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