Everybody’s got problems finding good people, and there’s always going to be challenges. It’s just, what are you going to do to overcome those challenges, and then setting forth a plan to overcome those challenges.
—Jimmy Hiller
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Finding and Holding onto Great Talent
Almost any trade contractor, when asked what their biggest challenge is, would likely say that it’s the ability to hire and retain quality people. For Hiller, this certainly was an issue as well. This was especially true when the company was experiencing rapid expansion and scaling its business. Instead of bemoaning their fate, however, and simply accepting that’s just the way it was going to be, Hiller decided to do something about it. “Everybody’s got problems finding
good people, and there’s always going to be challenges,” said Jimmy, “It’s just, what are you going to do to overcome those challenges, and then setting forth a plan to overcome those challenges.” To meet the need for quality talent,
Hiller initially partnered with a local trade school called Total Tech to send their HVAC technicians for training. That partnership worked out so well that Hiller acquired the school, investing over $2.5 million into developing state-of-the-art training and equipment in both class- room and lab settings, and expanding its offerings to include plumbing and elec- trical work. Both new and experienced technicians take part in this immersive program where they hone their skillset on real equipment by troubleshooting and diagnosing the same kinds of challenges that they would face in the field. A wonderful byproduct of the success
of Total Tech has been Hiller’s 2016 part- nership with Fort Campbell in developing a program called “Transition to Trades.” This partnership allows separating mem-
bers of the military to attend Total Tech to learn technical skills and obtain real- world experience in the trade of
their
choice as well as secure job placement once they leave the military. Over 1,000 military members have graduated from Total Tech and over 94% have been placed in full-time trade careers throughout the country, with over 150 of those graduates working for Hiller currently. It’s clear how much the program
means to the Hiller family, as Chief Oper- ating Officer, Jimmy Hiller, Jr., stated, “The Transition to Trades program is really special. Being able to see people exit the military, which is a very uneasy time for them, and being able to provide an avenue to learn a trade that leads to a job, and to hear their stories is one of my favorite things that we do.” Another way Hiller is working to
assist their workforce is by helping their employees with various aspects of their lives outside of work. The company is currently developing retention pro- grams that will help its employees in dif- ferent phases of their lives. “Whatever their goals are, whether it be
for a new car, or if they have a young child and want to save for that college education, we want to be able to assist and help them with those particular goals,” said Jimmy Hiller. “That’s the type of thing we’re look- ing to implement to help retain the individ- uals who come into our business.”
Incorporating ACCA Standards
As Hiller grew and expanded their opera- tions, Jimmy Hiller, coming from a plumbing background, wanted to incorporate HVAC
MAY/JUNE 2023 23
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