About Chris
This FREE web class will explain exactly how to learn your way to a higher salary and a respectable career in as few as 30 days!
Chris Roth
I’m living proof that the HVAC trade can be a great way to build a better life for yourself and your family. Inc. 500 recognized my business as the single fastest-growing HVAC business in all of the U.S for three years in a row. It was an HVAC business I built from scratch and then later sold for several million. I was also recognized as Contractor of the Year (and the youngest contractor in Nevada). Additionally, I am a licensed HVAC contractor in Nevada, Arizona, Texas, California, New Mexico, and Colorado.
Growing up in Las Vegas, I enrolled in a vocational high school, where I learned everything I needed to build a successful career in HVAC. But I learned something even more important: You don’t need a college degree to have a good career. It’s something I often tell my students.
Yep, I’m also an HVAC teacher. In fact, I’ve been teaching HVAC classes since I was 19. Along the way, I bought National Technical Institute—an accredited university for vocational students, and I also founded Trade School Institute—a flexible learning environment that can get you on your way to a solid career in as few as 30 to 90 days.
My Story
Growing up…
I grew up under the bright lights of Las Vegas. In high school, I enjoyed baseball and wrestling, and to all appearances, it seemed like I was college-bound. But then my dad pulled me out of school. Why? He had a real estate investing business, and he always complained that HVAC was his single largest expense. He was determined that I would have a good start in life, and so he enrolled me into a vocational high school, where I learned the tools of the trade. As a result, I was able to get my feet wet in the business, starting work at just 16.
From student to teacher
Thinking I still needed a college degree, I enrolled in school, but continued honing my HVAC skills while working for a few different companies. In fact, I became so good at the HVAC trade that I started teaching HVAC classes at just 19. By the age of 21 (when my fellow college grads were fetching coffee at their unpaid internships), I started my own HVAC company. I realized my college education ended up just becoming a piece go paper – my real success came from the on-the-job training I earned. I wanted the freedom that came with owning your own business… not to mention the $$$. (I had my sights set on a Mustang.) The only problem was that I didn’t know how to run the business and I had trouble finding skilled workers I could rely on.
Hitting rock bottom
Around that time, I also became divorced, lost everything, and had to start from the bottom again. I needed a fresh start in life, but I wasn’t sure where to turn. I may not have had much, but I still had my skills, so I decided to focus on my air conditioning company. This was during the recession, and the business had a lot of problems. Plus, I still couldn’t find good workers who knew what they were doing.
Then it hit me…
I realized that my single biggest problem was the lack of skilled HVAC workers. My solution? I went back to the classroom and started teaching HVAC skills. This allowed me to hire my own students, whom I knew for a fact had been properly trained. My business became the fastest growing HVAC company for three years straight, and in 2019, I was recognized as the “Contractor of the Year.”
Finding my passion
As successful as my business had finally become, I realized it wasn’t where my true passion lay. My true passion was in teaching others the skills they need to develop a worthwhile, lucrative career for themselves. I sold the business and instead purchased National Technical Institute (NTI)—an accredited university. At the time, it was teaching 70 students per year. Now, it’s at 1,500 students per year and counting. More recently, I’ve put my focus on developing Trade School Institute (TSI) because TSI allows students the freedom and flexibility to build their own HVAC careers on their own timeline.
What I Believe
- Learning should be actionable, without any fluff you don’t need.
- College is overhyped. You CAN have a successful career without a degree.
- Vocational training should be customized to suit YOUR needs. You don’t have to follow a strict academic timeline.
- You shouldn’t have to spend tens of thousands to learn what you need to make a living.
“But Don’t I Need a College Degree?”
I’ve heard this one a lot. High school counselors love to push people toward college—but college isn’t for everyone. It takes up years of your life and by the end of it you’ll have a fancy piece of paper to hang on your wall and tens of thousands of dollars of student debt. The truth is that college isn’t right for everyone, and you don’t need a college degree to earn good money in a respectable career. With Trade School Institute (TSI), you can get on the fast track to a good career that generates a solid income. What are you waiting for?
Why Wait? Get the HVAC Training You Need to Earn a Respectable Income