My husband retired recently from a long career as an HVAC technician.
He began working for a local heating and cooling company right out of high school.
For twenty years, he gave his heart and soul to that company. At that point, he decided to start his own heating and cooling company. He managed his company for another thirty years before passing it along to our sons to run as their own business. He built something that I am so proud of, but retirement posed new challenges. My husband is used to working tirelessly, so he didn’t know what to do with all of his time. He didn’t want to help out with any repairs on heating and cooling units because his body isn’t in the shape needed for physical labor. A few months ago, I saw an ad in the paper stating that the local high school needed a new instructor for HVAC certification courses. This seemed like the answer we’d been looking for! I showed it to my husband, and he was immediately excited about the potential opportunity. He called the number listed and set up an interview. By the end of the month, he was teaching his first group of students. Now, my husband has found a way to spread his knowledge of heating and cooling to a whole new generation of HVAC technicians. He teaches three classes a week. The hours are perfect for him, as it gives him something to do while still allowing him to enjoy his retirement. Every now and then, he comes home to tell me stories about that day’s lesson on ductwork, or he has me proofread a quiz on types of thermostats. While the content doesn’t mean much to me, it warms my heart to see him so happy doing something he is so passionate about.