Apprentice Story: Dahir J.

Former HVAC technician triples salary in two years thanks to his Help Desk Apprenticeship

After spending several years in the HVAC industry in Fairfax County, Virginia as an administrator and technician, Dahir J. was ready for a change. The long and unpredictable hours, the physically taxing labor and the relatively low pay inspired him to explore other options. He saw some of his friends with rewarding, well-paid careers in IT, discovered the shortage of tech talent, and thought, this is the path for me.

He applied to dozens of entry-level jobs, receiving either polite “no thank yous” or no response at all, due to admitting to no prior tech experience and no college degree. After feeling like he was getting nowhere, he had an idea.

He recalled the concept of apprenticeships in the HVAC field, googled “Tech Apprenticeships” and discovered Franklin. Dahir joined the first cohort of Franklin Help Desk Pre-Apprentices in the spring of 2020.

“I was trying to enter the IT field but was having a difficult time getting interviews and getting the right information on how to reach out to different companies,” said Dahir. “I was just looking for an opportunity. When I joined Franklin, it didn’t stop at an open door, it took me farther.”

After a Franklin client hired Dahir as a Help Desk Apprentice, he wowed them from the very start.

“The company that hired me initially had low expectations because it was their first time with the program. They thought I might only be with them for a few months. My manager was really impressed with the program and how well I did.”

Despite beginning his apprenticeship during the pandemic, Dahir took advantage of his resources when encountering a difficult task, including his Franklin Professional Success Coach. “The biggest benefit was having a Success Coach who continued to reach out and continuously push us,” said Dahir.

After his year-long apprenticeship, Dahir found himself in a better place both financially and personally. He was enjoying a 25% salary increase and a more active personal and social life, with more predictable hours and a manageable work-life balance.

He strived to continue expanding his knowledge and skillset and has progressed to more senior roles. Just over two years later, he has now tripled his salary since his time in the HVAC field. He’s found his long-term career path and hopes to someday hire and manage apprentices in his team.

“Even if someone doesn’t have the experience, it doesn’t mean that they don’t have the drive or the learning aptitude to pick up something new. My Franklin Apprenticeship changed my life, and I will do everything I can to help more people learn about this path.”