As a professor I worry a lot about this next generation of adults who are coming up right now.
It seems like they have been massively affected by the influx of technology in our modern world.
I don’t understand how these kids are ever going to grow into real functioning adults when they are so reliant on cell phones, computers, and the internet. Don’t get me wrong, I think that technology is extremely important and useful in many aspects of life. However, it has also trained our kids to be more adept at interacting with screens than other human beings. As a professor in the local heating, cooling, and ventilation certification program at our trade school I really worry about the personal skills of our future HVAC technicians. When my pupils graduate from the heating, cooling, and air quality control program they will be certified heating and cooling technicians who are technically capable of entering the air quality control industry immediately. They can get a job at any HVAC repair shop as soon as they graduate. However, I’m worried that they might have the practical skills to inspect, maintain, and diagnose HVAC equipment but they seem to be lacking the personal skills to interact with residential HVAC owners. An important part of the job is conversing with the clients who request the HVAC repairs in the first place. If we have completely socially inept HVAC technicians entering the workforce they’re going to have a hard time finding out what the air quality complaint is and collecting the bill at the end of the repair appointment. I don’t know if we’re making successful HVAC techs, at that point.