MVCTC HVAC Student Nicholas Didier Wins Truck and $1,000 Scholarship

05/13/2021

Englewood, Ohio – Nicholas Didier, a Versailles High School Senior enrolled in the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Program at the Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC), was a very excited young man the evening of May 12, 2021. He was the winner of the "We Build the USA TOOLS Scholarship." This scholarship is sponsored by the Ohio Valley Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). ABC is a network of contractors with chapters spread all over the United States.

This year was extra special, though, because the grand prize winner of the TOOLS Program Scholarship would take home a Ford Ranger along with the $1,000 scholarship to apply towards tools for the trade or to further their education. Nicholas Didier's name was announced as the grand prize winner. Nick will use this truck and the money to further his education.

While attending MVCTC, Nicholas has been very active, first as a Student Ambassador and most recently as a participant in the MVCTC Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Nicholas has earned many industry credentials while attending MVCTC, including EPA Universal Certification, NCCER Core 1 Certified, NCCER HVAC Level 1, and OSHA 10 Construction.

Nicholas was employed by Emerson in a Pre-Apprenticeship program at The Helix Innovation Center on the University of Dayton's campus. This facility is a state-of-the-art product development and testing center where industry specialists come together from worldwide to solve the latest and greatest challenges facing the HVAC/R industry.

Nicholas shared, "My responsibilities include building, prototyping, and developing products, but best of all learning he enjoys learning new information about his profession."

Didier is quoted saying, "I really wanted to pursue a career in HVAC-R because I love to learn the mechanical aspects of a trade. I understand there is a skilled labor shortage in America, and I understand the heartbeat of our country is in skilled trades."

We build the USA TOOLS Scholarship

The TOOLS Program stands for Today's Opportunities Offering Lifetime Skills. The goal of the TOOLS Program is to bring resources to help schools promote skilled trades and apprenticeship opportunities in Manufacturing and Construction. It introduces students interested in a skilled trades career to local employers ready to hire and train. This includes:

Working with the school to identify 10-20 senior students interested in learning more about careers in the skilled trades. (Manufacturing and Construction)
Assist students in applying for the TOOLS program scholarship.
Connect the school to local employers for career/job fairs and classroom speaking opportunities.

This school year, the "We Build the USA Scholarship Video Contest" was introduced. Students were challenged to create a 90-second video that answered three questions.

Why do you want to pursue a career in construction?
How did you become interested in construction?
How do you plan on using the scholarship funds?

Nicholas's winning video can be viewed at https://youtu.be/X0C2GWQUWaU.

The TOOLS Program is sponsored by Associate Builders and Contractors (ABC) Ohio Valley, YourFutureCareers.org (Construction & Manufacturing), and the Ohio Valley Construction Education Foundation. To learn more about the TOOLS Program, please contact Mr. Nick Smiley, TOOLS Program Manager, at Nick@OVABC.org.

Plans after high school

After graduation, Nicholas plans to work at Emerson in Sidney, Ohio, in the HVAC lab and earn money while learning from their best technicians. He will also be attending Edison State Community College classes at night to earn an Associate's Degree in HVAC Engineering Technology and, potentially, continue his education to earn a bachelor's degree and become an HVAC engineer.

Nicholas stated, "My experience at MVCTC has overall been a life-changing experience. The teachers at this school are the best I've ever seen, and they really care about the well-being of their students in or out of the classroom. If I did not attend MVCTC, I don't know where I'd be in my life. In my experience, I feel like I found my true purpose in life. I enjoy waking up every day and going to a school that has done so much for me, and I will never forget what the school has done to help me find my purpose and my future profession."

Dedicated to providing premier educational choices and advanced employment preparation for youth, adults, and organizations, MVCTC has proudly served the Miami Valley since 1971.

For more information about MVCTC, please visit www.mvctc.com.

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