Covid Hiatus Fuels Advancements in CoolSys Technician Training Program
January 13, 2023
After a forced shutdown during the Covid pandemic, the technician training program at CoolSys has come back stronger than ever. We’re grateful to our CoolSys leadership team, who took this challenge and turned it into an opportunity to revitalize our holistic approach to training.
The program revamp was led by Brett Wetzel, CoolSys’s experienced, creative field-technician-turned-manager of Technical Troubleshooting & Training. Working with Ryan Herda, director of Learning and Development and Integration, the two created a fresh approach to training that not only kickstarted the return of our in-person training for service and install technicians but also resulted in a fully redesigned online training program for service levels 2, 3, and 4 — with courses focusing on HVAC and Light Commercial in development.
In the new year, the Learning and Development team has partnered with Zach Bates, director of Environmental Health and Safety at CoolSys, to create an online, company-wide safety training standard that mirrors the proven quality of our service-level training program.
Collaboration Critical to Efficiency
To enhance communication and overall effectiveness, a training project management office was formed to provide “boots-on-the-ground” assistance and coordination for trainers and their classes. The team of Jenna Bolen and Adriana Benson (Houston, Texas), Stacia Carrow (Jacksonville, Florida), Robert Ancheta and Joe Klecker (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin), and Nakell Lee (Fullerton, California) is integral to the success of the training program.
Since the relaunch of our in-person training in October through December 2022, Commercial & Industrial participants have achieved an exceptional pass rate of 91%. The course feedback was also stellar: 92% of surveyed trainees responded either “strongly agree” or “agree” that the content and course instructor met or exceeded their expectations.
Our team and our revitalized training program are just getting started! Throughout 2023 and beyond, we’ll increase the number and variety of courses offered to include additional safety programs, leadership training, onboarding and other topics pivotal to organizational development. Our goal is to provide a best-in-class experience for our One CoolSys team.