Breaking Barriers

Trinity had a steep mountain to climb. She wanted to break into the HVAC industry as a technician. When speaking about it, she said, “As one of the most male-dominated industries to get into with a very competitive job market, it felt like something unattainable for me.” However, with a little help, she was able to break through barriers to achieve career prosperity.

Before connecting to GST Michigan Works! (GSTMW) Trinity worked as a server at a local restaurant. She knew she didn’t want to pursue a long-term career in food service and wanted a more fulfilling career. She came into GST MI Works! looking for career information on different opportunities related to trades. Trinity told us, “After speaking with some of the people at [GSTMW], I learned that I do qualify for a couple of programs that would help me start learning and training to become an HVAC technician.”

At GST MI Works! she was referred to Mrs. Michael’s Plumbers, Electricians, and HVAC Technicians. At Mrs. Michael’s, their goal is to support and empower women to join and work in the trades! “I started riding along with experienced technicians at Mrs. Michael’s shortly after that. And after a couple of months of training, I was able to start working in the field doing maintenance on customers’ HVAC systems,” Trinity commented on how quickly everything has happened since her first trip to GST MI Works!

With funding through the Young Professional Plus program, GST helped pay for her training for 8 weeks while allowing her to also collect a paycheck while gaining experience at Mrs. Michael’s. She was also provided support to purchase tools and clothes, along with her Chauffeur’s License!

Today, Trinity is thriving in her new career, breaking down barriers and proving that with determination—and a little help—anything is possible.