It just takes a company to give someone a chance! We all appreciate those who serve our country and United CoolAir certainly does. The company has taken steps to include veterans in developing their workforce. Teamwork, respect, and triumph over adversity are skills obtained thru military service; these skills benefit companies in numerous ways. The story of the Wertz brothers is one of many successes attributed to hiring veterans at United CoolAir.
Joshua Wertz joined the Army right out of high school deriving inspiration from his uncle who also served. Upon returning to stateside, he tried making a living in North Carolina. However, jobs remained elusive, especially for infantrymen returning from Afghanistan, but he found work as a part-time bouncer. He decided to return to Pennsylvania to live with his father, (a Blacksmith), taught his son to work with metal. Joshua also received training in welding and metal fabrication at York Technical Institute. He eventually found work at a local foundry, only to have his hours cut to 30 per week. This made it very difficult to manage everyday expenses.
Job Fairs are a Key to Success
One day, Joshua’s father directed him to a job fair at the York Career Link. There he learned about United CoolAir and toured the manufacturing facility. Joshua accepted a position with United CoolAir in May of 2016, operating the Brake & Punch Press within the Sheetmetal Department. “Everything started going upwards after I got this job. Other employers were reluctant to hire veterans, especially those that have been recently deployed” expressed Joshua. He now has the resources to buy a car and lease an apartment. Needless to say, he is very thankful for the opportunity given to him by the United CoolAir Corporation.
Joshua’s positive experience with United CoolAir led to his brother D’Artagnan joining the United CoolAir team. D’Artagnan, who goes by “D”, is also an Army veteran and is active in the Reserves. As a trained diesel mechanic for hydraulic systems, he also struggled to find employment due to negative stereotypes evolving veterans. He eventually found a job as a heavy equipment operator for a York area construction company; however, the days were long and D’Artagnan missed working with his hands. He very much likes his job running the Shear in the Sheetmetal Department. He says “the days just fly by”, while relating to similarities of an organization that he experienced in the military.
Veterans’ are an asset to United CoolAir, and we value the talents of the Wertz brothers. Furthermore, several other veterans that have joined our team as well. The Wertz brothers are just one of many success stories and we are grateful they took a chance with us. Finally, advice from Joshua for other veterans returning from military service, he said “Never second guess yourself”.