Graduate Connections – Meet Isaac Sackett

Isaac, 26, is from Washington state originally. Isaac completed the Electro-Mechanical Technologies (EMT) program at RSI in March 2024. 

Thanks for your time, Isaac; what did you do before coming to RSI last year? 

I grew up in a family of ‘Jack of all Trades’, so I’ve always been into learning and trying different things. In high school, I started a clothing company with a few friends, making clothes from scratch. I used the money I made to buy a car, and then I did concrete refinishing with my dad. I moved to Arizona six years ago – my wife is from here – and I started operating a concrete pump truck. Then I got into cutting and sewing shade structures and sails for commercial buildings and parking structures. The job I had before RSI was building and reupholstering custom furniture, and I did that for the last three years, and while I went through school. 

So, where did the idea of HVAC come from?

I bought a house and was interested in the electrical side of things because the breaker panel on my house caught fire. I redid all the electrical myself, then saw an RSI billboard and thought, I’m going to try that next.  

Why did you choose the EMT program if your interest was the electrical side of things?

I did EMT because I liked how it incorporated other things; it has electrical, solar, as well as HVAC content.  I did consider welding too. I just didn’t like the thought of sitting in one spot for too long, working on a piece of metal. I enjoy using a plethora of different tools, having different problems come up in different scenarios. Talking with the customers is another thing I love; I love to speak about what I love to do. So, that part of refrigeration is nice because that’s where a lot of your sales and commission comes from, and that comes naturally to me. I can read people well and understand how conversations are going!

How did you have the knowledge to rewire after the breaker panel fire?

Growing up, my dad and grandpa owned a construction company. I was always around general contractors, electricians, and plumbers when I was younger. I learned a lot and it stuck. I’ve always been very curious about all the trades.

So, was that what drove you to enroll at RSI last year? 

A year before I started at RSI, I was working three jobs trying to make ends meet. I never really found one job to turn into a career. For the last three years, I’ve capped out at my pay with no benefits, no vacation time, nothing. I needed to find a career, something with the potential to move up in a company. I want to start a family and those are the bigger things I had to start thinking about. I knew I’m really good working with my hands, and I was knowledgeable with this kind of stuff already, so when I saw the billboard, I thought, “You know what, we live in a hot place, everyone needs AC all the time!” so I figured I would jump into it.

What did you enjoy most about your time at RSI?

My favorite part of the program is that you get to work on units, you get to learn hands-on technical skills. But the best thing about RSI is the connections, the friends you make. The instructors are amazing, and you’ll have them in your contact list forever. You can call them whenever you run into trouble in the field. I was lucky enough to be with the same group for the whole time, and now they’re just my best friends. We’re in a group chat still, we probably always will be. I think there’s 12 of us in it. We pushed each other, we helped each other. We found jobs together. That was just the best part about it. I was also a student ambassador. I got to be part of that fine little group of people who really push each other. We help all the vendors out at the career fairs, so the connections you can make are just amazing.

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

It came easy. The hardest part for me was that in an AC  unit, there’s probably a hundred different mechanical and electrical parts. Just understanding how those act when they get voltage or don’t get voltage is hard. You need to know what the sensors do, what the relays do. To memorize all that is difficult at first. But once you understand the way the electricity moves throughout the system, you have a better understanding. But those hundred question finals can really get to you: it’s just a case of studying, studying, studying! 

What was your schedule? 

I had night class, so my schedule was 6:00PM to 10:00PM at the start, then they added an hour, so we were there until 11:00PM. I worked from 5:00AM to 3:00PM; so, I came home, ate, and I went right to school, came home went to bed, and got up again. Those three days straight in the middle of the week were difficult, On Fridays and Mondays, class was online. But as long as you just stick to it and grind it out, it’s very beneficial. 

So, you finished class 12 days ago, who are you working with and how did you get the job?

I’m working for Howard Air. The house that I bought is just two streets down from them and they put up a “Walk-ins Welcome” banner. On the day I finished class, I thought I’d take a chance and walk in! The school gave me a really nice RSI résumé. It looks really professional with all our certifications and skills that we learned. So, seeing that, the hiring manager noticed that I was from RSI, and he hired me on the spot.

Wow! That’s awesome. That was quick.

I wasted no time, really, all thanks to the school. I gained the confidence and skills I needed, the certification, even that résumé layout. I just went out and got a job right away. 

It looks like a great company, cool website. Are you enjoying it?

We have a lot of five-star reviews; customers love us. We have a really cool monthly membership program. They get two services a year for us to come out and just maintain and clean the unit, check all the voltages and amp draws, etc. People really like Howard Air. We never push a part or a replacement without showing customers the full diagnostic of why we suggested it – they are a very honest company. Our goal, every time we leave a job, is to at least do one good deed. If we hook up our hose to their spigot, we make sure to leave it with a brand-new gasket, so their hose stops leaking. Or if you see something dirty on the roof, clean it. If they have a package left somewhere, bring it to them. We’re very honorable in what we do, and I love that.

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

Because I’ve already proven that I know a lot about what I’m doing, that I can handle myself, they let me work only two weeks of their training, riding along with other techs. So next week, just two weeks out of school, I’ll already be on my own, in my own van. I’m happy about that. Their pay structure is very, very nice. I don’t need to get into the numbers too much, but I’m very excited about the potential. Summertime is going to be super busy, it always is, and I’ll be on my own in time for that, so yeah, it won’t be too bad! 

What do you enjoy most about this trade? 

It’s like opening up a puzzle box with some of the pieces out, and you’ve got to figure it out. Every puzzle is different, every unit is different. I think the most fun thing about it is you don’t know what to expect. I love figuring out what’s wrong and then fixing it, then showing the customer how you fixed it. I enjoy the feeling of them being impressed and satisfied. They’ll always call you after that, and it’s just a great feeling to accomplish that little goal. When you do that about three to four times a day, it’s just a great feeling.

What’s your ultimate career goal? 

My ultimate goal is to become a master at my skill and become one of the company’s top assets. I want to become a troubleshooting diagnostic leader. I want other techs to call me, tell me their readings, their amp draws, and ask me what the problem is. I want to be the guy everyone wants to call, the guy that goes out and trains guys. I really want to have a leading role. In the future, I think I could guide new techs down the right path, as far as having the right routine, talking to customers the right way. So, that’s really where I see my future. I want to become a big company asset. I want people to say, “If you have an issue, call Isaac”. 

Do you see that happening at Howard Air? 

Yes, Howard Air has four other sister companies. They have a few locations in other states. So, there’s a lot of room to transfer and a lot of positions that could open up in the future. There’s a lot of room to grow, which is one thing I really looked for.

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

My biggest piece of advice would be one word: sacrifice. I dedicated the last year of my life to this. I made my family aware of that, and they all supported me. You have to sacrifice your time. You may have to sacrifice some hours at work for a few days. You have to sacrifice quite a bit to put yourself in the position you want to be in, both in school and out of school when you’re done. So, I would have to say, it’s sacrifice.

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.