John Pohl, Jr. and his younger brother Jason spend a lot of time together. Just a year apart in age, they attended the same schools, worked together at summer jobs, and live in the same home in Halfmoon. They also are pursuing the same career path. 

John, a 2002 alumnus of the HVAC/R (Heating, Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) & Plumbing program at the Career and Technical School’s Albany campus, works as a technician in the commercial division of Roland J. Down Inc. in Scotia. Jason is a 2003 alumnus of the program. Because of their age difference, the brothers weren’t in class at Career & Tech at the same time, which was fine for both of them.

"I wouldn’t want to be in the same class as my brother," Jason remarked with a smile. "Besides, we learn different things in year one and year two, so we wouldn’t be together."

"We were never in the same class in Career & Tech or at Shen, but I did get Jason his summer jobs, and we worked together," said John.

Although John is older, Jason was the first to set his sites on an HVAC career, making the decision in seventh grade. "I have a distant cousin who owns an HVAC business and another cousin in the field, and they both went to Career & Tech," said Jason. "There’s a lot of demand for people in HVAC, I like the money it offers, and both of my cousins are doing well."

John decided to study HVAC in Career & Tech, which is taught by Frank Ando, after meeting with his guidance counselor in ninth grade. "She showed me the course catalog and recommended the program," he related. "My cousin with his own business has always lived well, and my dad, who is a master welder, also encouraged me to enter the HVAC field."

John is happy with his career choice and particularly enjoys working on commercial HVAC rehabilitation/reconstruction jobs, where he is challenged to troubleshoot and problem-solve. "In HVAC," John said, "you are always in demand, especially with the national certifications we earn at Career & Tech, like the NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) certifications.

"The field is so much wider than some of the other trades," he added. "There are so many things that are constantly changing in HVAC, like computerized systems, controls and wiring. You also have to know a little bit of everything, like plumbing, carpentry, wiring, and using different tools, in addition to all of the specific skills, and we learned all of that in Career & Tech."

"My goal is to instill in all of my students confidence in not only their abilities in HVAC, but in other areas of life," said HVAC/R Teacher Ando. "A positive attitude is the most important attribute for success in my class, and upon completing the program, students are prepared to go directly to work or continue their training in college."

While Jason once said he " didn’t like sitting in a classroom in high school all day," he did very well in school, both at Shenendehowa and at Career & Tech. Jason's average was in the high 90s, and he was inducted into the National Vocational-Technical Honor Society.

Jason interned with Colonie Mechanical in Albany during his senior year at Career & Tech and was hired by the firm after graduation. 

The Pohl brothers give Career & Tech high marks. "The basics you learn in Mr. Ando’s class put you so far ahead," said John. "When I started at Roland J. Down, the technicians there trusted my skills right away."

"Career & Tech is a wonderful program," Jason concurred. "When you get out of school, you have an idea of where you want to go in life."

[updated 8/05]