English
November 04, 2026
How Alex Traded Automotive for HVAC
Alex trained as an automotive tech, but it was the variety that HVAC offered — new locations, new equipment, new problems to solve — that really got his attention. Now a graduate of the Technician Apprenticeship Program, he's building on a foundation of two trades and the mentorship of someone who picks up the phone at 10pm.
Alex knows how to explain his job to people who've never thought about commercial HVAC.
"I tell my friends and family I work in commercial air conditioning," he says. "Basically, it’s what you have in your house… but a lot bigger."
It's a good line, and it reflects something true about how Alex thinks: practically, directly, with an eye for what really matters. Three years into his career as an HVAC service technician with Trane Technologies in Dallas, Texas, he's graduating from the company's first Technician Apprenticeship Program cohort. And, he’s already thinking about what comes next.
A detour that turned into a direction
Alex didn't start out in HVAC. He went to trade school for automotive, spent time in a shop and liked the work. Up to a point. "I liked the shop, but I didn't like going to the same location every day."
In Texas, the pivot to HVAC was logical. "It's always hot in Texas, so I knew that would be good job security." He worked for a smaller company first, learned the basics, then made the jump to commercial, which brought him to Trane Technologies.
The move from automotive to HVAC wasn't as dramatic a gearshift as it might sound. Both trades reward the same instincts: patience with systems, comfort with tools and the ability to think through a problem rather than over and around it. What HVAC added, however, was scale, variety and the sense that the work would continue to teach him something new every day.
Every day that I work, I learn something new. I'm excited to keep working here and learning what's available.
Alex Castenado
Commercial HVAC Service Technician, Trane Technologies
The mentor who picks up at 10pm
When Alex joined the Technician Apprenticeship Program, he was paired with a mentor, David, a Trane Technologies veteran with over a decade of experience. The relationship became one of the defining features of his apprenticeship.
"David is very knowledgeable. Any time I have a question, he can answer it off the top of his head. He doesn't have to look it up. He knows everything." But what Alex values most is that David is always patient and available. "I can call him between seven in the morning and 10 at night, and he'll answer. And he'll stay with me until I find a solution to the problem."
I couldn't ask for a better mentor than David.
Alex Castenado
Commercial HVAC Service Technician, Trane Technologies
That kind of mentorship, Alex thinks, is something worth paying forward. "With enough experience, I definitely wouldn't mind being a mentor. Having an apprentice to talk with and assist. It helps a lot, having somebody to call when you run into problems."
Always busy, always learning
One of the things Alex values most about working at Trane Technologies is the constant motion. "At other jobs, sometimes it gets slow and you don't really have work to do. But here, even if it's slow, they send you somewhere to work and keep you hands-on. Also, even when you're paired with somebody who's not your mentor, you're always working with someone more experienced."
That constant exposure to different equipment, challenges and colleagues is how Alex has built his skills. He works primarily on unitary equipment, but his eyes are on the larger systems now waiting in the new training center. "Just being in the training center makes me excited about all the different equipment we have to work on. I haven't worked on every single piece, but there’s a lot, different types, different sizes. It's a good challenge."
What the program gave Alex. And what he'd tell others
The apprenticeship program, Alex says, delivered on what it promised: theory and hands-on work, together, in a way that neither alone could replicate. "You get the book learning and the hands-on learning. Both of those together help you become a good technician."
The resources available through Trane Technologies, such as tech support tools, online libraries and a built-in network of experienced colleagues, have made a tangible difference in how Alex works. "With Trane Technologies, I feel like we have a lot of resources online that help me get through the job easier, by finding the answers to the questions I have."
Of course, the tools and training are a big part of why Alex is successful in his work. But it’s the people he works alongside every day that make it so enjoyable. “Working for Trane Technologies has been such a positive experience. The people I work with at the office, the people in the field - they're all so positive with such good attitudes. If you’re considering a career here, go for it.”
The future is ours to create.
Explore Technician roles at Trane Technologies
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