Make Trades Great Again Fan Mail: How Can I Get Into Service Work?
Mar 17, 2026
Listeners ask how to move from installations into service and troubleshooting. The conversation covers rotating into service shifts, starting with nearby callbacks, and showing initiative to management. They recommend online training, VR simulators, and specific YouTube creators. Safety, multimeter caution, and learning sequences of operation are highlighted as key starting points.
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Ask To Shadow And Join Service Rotations
- Do tell your manager you want to move into service work and ask to be included in service rotations one day a week.
- Eric recommends easing in by joining compressor changeouts or shadowing service techs between jobs until you transition.
Early Service Experience Came From Callbacks On Developments
- Anecdote: Andy's first service work came while working on large housing developments and being sent back for callback repairs.
- As an apprentice he advanced from cartridge and faucet replacements to basic service tasks by proximity and repetition.
Use VR And Online Training For Safe Troubleshooting
- Do use online training like Interplay Learning and vendor courses to practice troubleshooting safely.
- Andy and Eric point out Interplay offers VR scenarios and individual plans to learn multimeters, control cabinets, and chiller troubleshooting without risk.