Graduate Connections – Meet Damico Love

Damico, 27, from Seattle, Washington, completed the RSI Refrigeration Technologies (RT) program in February 2024. 

Thanks for your time, Damico; what did you do before coming to RSI? 

I worked just regular retail jobs. When I moved out to Arizona in March 2021, I got a job with Sherwin Williams, the paint shop; I’d been with them for almost three years. 

Where did the idea of going to a trade school like RSI come from?

First, I come from a single parent home; it was my mother and my two sisters. I’m a middle child, and my younger sister has two kids now, but at the time, she just had one. Honestly, I wanted to learn a trade, some manly stuff, that I felt like I missed out on by not having a dad. I wanted to be able to teach my nephew, maybe a kid of my own someday, this stuff. I didn’t want them to feel that they missed out like I did. Second, it was just where I was in life. I was tired of working jobs, having no career. I wanted to find something where I could have some longevity, make some good money, and have a direction. Moving from job to job, I was just zigzagging. I wasn’t moving forward; I wasn’t making progress.  

Why did you choose the RT program?

The temperature out here! Back home in Washington, we have four seasons but a lot of the time it’s raining! But when I came here to Arizona, it was just instant. When I got off the plane with all my luggage, it was pretty hot! Then I was talking with one of my neighbors about work, he was a welder. He said working the trades is pretty good money, he was having a house built. I thought, “Okay, you make enough to build a house”. That’s when I started looking into trades and discovered HVAC, which is heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. I thought that’s needed everywhere and is perfect for here. That’s why I decided on RT.

What did you enjoy most about your time at RSI?

The structure. It helped me balance out my life a little more with my free time. When I was working regular jobs, I had a set eight-hour shift from this time to that time. So, when not working I’d do whatever and then just go to sleep, wake back up, and do it again. But going to RSI helped me balance my time. While at school, I still worked at Sherwin Williams from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, then it took me about 20 minutes to get to RSI for the night class, which at that time was 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. It taught me to manage my time better.

Did you have any experience at all with HVAC or electrical stuff?

It honestly was all brand new to me. One time as a kid, I witnessed somebody get shocked from playing with a wall heater, and that, right there, meant I never wanted to try anything like that. Everything was entirely new. Like I mentioned, I didn’t have anybody to show me anything like that. I know a little about some household stuff, but electrical was all new to me.

Did you have frustrations, or did the program come easy to you?

It was pretty hard to get a grasp at first, and it did get frustrating, but the instructors are pretty thorough in their explanations and their teaching. I hadn’t been in school for eight or nine or years, so getting back into a school environment, the learning aspect, honestly felt good. I felt like a kid again. It also takes discipline to go home and read the book, make some notes. It takes real discipline to keep doing that. As long as you can do that, it’ll help you. It doesn’t have to be nightly, but maybe three or four extra hours a week will help. Once you start getting some of that hands-on learning though, it definitely helps! I was pretty excited, that helped a lot too. I was just happy to learn something new. I also had extra motivation from family and friends that really wanted to see me do better in life, who understood where I came from. That really helped. 

You finished school a couple of months ago, who are you working with, and how did you get the job?

I’m a service technician with Chas Roberts. I got the job through RSI. Cooper [Career Services Advisor] sent me a text about a month after I finished class asking if I’d like to interview with them. I let him know that I would, and he set it up. I showed up at school, had a quick interview with Steven from Chas, and he then directed me to the website to apply directly. I then got a call from Adam, had another interview, and they gave me a start date. I gave my two week notice at Sherwin Williams, took a week’s paid vacation with time I had saved up, and started at Chas Roberts on March 25th, about two weeks ago.

Congratulations! Are you still in training with them?

Yes, I am still in the training phase. I already have my own van, and my own company phone. I’m meeting a technician at jobs and we’re getting them done together. I was told the training phase is about 13 business days, so two or three business weeks. I expect to be off on my own on jobs soon. 

Two weeks in, how does the real world compare to school?

I would honestly say the stuff you learn in school does help you with what you’re actually seeing out here, but the real-world stuff is much more eye opening. It’s like a foundation, and then it’s “Oh, okay, that’s how that works. I see what we do! This is all the way over here…” It’s just different, but not scary.

Are you excited or nervous to be getting ready to go to jobs on your own?

A little bit of both, I guess. Being allowed to go off on my own gives me confidence, I guess. At least it lets me know that they think I’m doing a good job. But at the same time, I don’t want to mess something up on my own. But I will have a lot of support. There are nine or ten techs in a team, and we have a lot of teams. Honestly, it’s also a prideful thing. A lot of people don’t like to ask for help or let people know when they mess up, but not me. If I want help or need help, I will definitely ask for it! 

Are you happy with the money you have started on and the potential?

Yes, definitely. I’ve already started at a raise from what I made at my last job, and I was there three years. I definitely am looking forward to the potential of what I can make in the future, especially being still young; I’m thinking about what my life could look like doing this stuff in another 20 years or so.

That’s true. What’s your ultimate career goal? 

My ultimate goal is to hopefully have my own company. I’m not sure what that company would look like yet, but I’ve been thinking about it a little bit here and there lately. But I would like to stay and grow with this company and learn as much as I can. I’m happy to just follow the path that I’m on right now. In time, I’d love to be a journeyman and have that journeyman’s ability to go here and there. That way, when I do have my own company one day, I’m ready. As I mentioned earlier, when I teach this to my nephew or anybody else, I want to be able to do it thoroughly in the right way, as an expert.  

What do you enjoy most about this trade? 

It’s kind of tough because I’m only two weeks in, but it does feel good to help somebody that you can see is struggling. You get there, they may be a little red, overheated, their demeanor and energy is low. But when you leave and their AC is running, it’s like you’ve changed their world, or at least their day, for the better. That does feel good. But I’d also like to mention the flexibility of this trade. Here in Arizona, it’s hot; we get really hot on the job. But what if my destiny takes me to Alaska one day? I’ll always be cold, but I’m still able to work on furnaces and heating systems out there. I could travel up there and continue this career, even though it’s a whole other world to Arizona. I like the flexibility that I can go anywhere with this trade. 

What advice do you have for new students to be successful at RSI? 

Have patience. Just remain patient and always keep going. Nothing that’s worth having in life comes easy. To be honest, that’s what was stuck in my mind the entire way through school. When I woke up each and every day, that’s exactly what I thought. Some days it was hard to get up, some days it was tiring to go home, but I always had to remember that nothing worth having comes easy.

If you’re an RSI graduate and would like to share your success and be an inspiration to others, please email [email protected] to be considered for a Graduate Connection interview. Please include details such as your graduation date (month/year) and program.