A Day in the Life of a Johnson Controls Technician

Alain Grenier first found Johnson Controls during his time in the military when he met his old friend and soon-to-be branch manager." He worked for me in the military, and  he asked me if I felt like working for him at Johnson Controls,” Alain reminisced. He started in truck-based services and quickly moved to branch service manager working out of Montreal, Canada. Now, six years out from his start date,  Alain is the branch service manager in Houston, Texas.

Alain best advice for a faster learning curve on the job is to “surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.” By leveraging the enterprise and constantly asking questions, Alain has been able to progress swiftly in his career at Johnson Controls.

Through managing his own team, Alain has a unique perspective on what it looks like to be a Johnson Controls technician. “They’re like small business owners. They have their book of business, their assigned customers, they know their customers, schedule themselves, find work opportunities for themselves,” Alain says of the freedoms Johnson Controls technicians have and of the confidence managers have in their technicians. “[Technicians] don’t have to report into the office everyday – they leave their homes, they go to the customer site, they  do their work and they go home.”

There are also continuous learning and development opportunities for technicians. A library of resources that includes trainings, off-the-cuff conversations with superiors and more is available to anyone looking to enhance their understanding of a particular piece of equipment or new technology.

“You’re an entrepreneur in a certain way, a technical guru in another and you’re supported by an enterprise of resources to help you be successful in your role,” Alain noted

At Johnson Controls, the role of the technician goes beyond business. There is a sense of mutual respect between technicians, customers and the company. The ability to foster meaningful relationships within the community is a source of pride for technicians. “Our relationships are well established; when we can get honest feedback from our customers, we’re better able to respond to their needs and understand what’s happening in the marketplace.”

With many opportunities to grow, Alain stresses the importance of stepping into the technician position with career goals in mind. The advantage of working for a big company like Johnson Controls is that there is a lot of space to succeed, and a lot of people to help you do so, but knowing what success looks like to you is the first step.

“You’ve really got to know what to do with your life, but you also have to find the people and the resources to get you there.”

That’s just a small taste of what it’s like to be a Johnson Controls technician. Want to learn more for yourself? Check out the open roles available in the Texas area and apply today.