I skipped college for trade school. Now I have a job I love that won't be replaced by AI.

• Baylee Frankovich attended trade school to work in HVAC after high school in 2021.
• She says being a service technician gives her freedom and fulfillment, and every day is different.
• Frankovich says networking and a willingness to make mistakes are key for working in the trades.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Baylee Frankovich, a 23-year-old HVAC service technician based in Reno, Nevada. It's been edited for length and clarity.

As I was preparing to graduate from high school with no official career plan, I got a phone call from my dad: "If you want to join the family HVAC business, now is your time."

Working in HVAC wasn't on my radar as a career path, so I hesitated. I questioned if I'd be strong enough, able to hold my own among the men, or if I'd even want to commit my life to it. Then I thought, "How will I know unless I try?"

That summer, about four years ago, I started working for my father and enrolled in a 9-month trade school program. Now, I work full-time as an HVAC service technician, and it's amazing.

I feel more empowered by not going to a 4-year university

Trade school was far more affordable than a traditional four-year college degree — it cost about $15,000 and took nine months. My classes were from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., so I was even able to maintain a full-time job working for my family business and another HVAC company.

The greatest thing for me was being able to learn on the job while in school. I was able to use my hands, look at the systems, and solve problems in real time.

I had moments of self-doubt as the only woman in my trade school class

As the only woman in my class, I had some moments where I wondered if I'd be able to do the job. I'm quite small: 5'2" and about 100 pounds, so I'm not able to lift all of the equipment.

When I first started, I'd have to say, "Hey, I can't lift this yet. Can you help me?" Now I lift 60-pound compressors.

Unfortunately, sometimes I felt like one of my instructors would shut down my thoughts and opinions and take over when I was asked for help. I learned to just sit back and let him do what he wanted, because at the end of the day, I was going to prevail and keep learning.

The students were so welcoming, and we all had fun together.

I got my first job from a connection, and I see networking as necessary

Almost immediately after graduating from trade school, I started looking for other businesses to work at because the duct-cleaning focus of my family's business wasn't what I wanted to do. I wanted to do service, a job that would allow me to really use my brain.

Luckily, I had previously connected with someone on a job site while working for my dad. When I applied at the company he worked for, my connection got me a foot in the door to get hired. Making connections is really big in this industry because if you know somebody, they may be able to help you out.

As for salary progression, the sky is the limit. My starting salary was $35,000, and now it's about $60,000. My plan is to stay in a service role, but I'd go back to the family business in case of an emergency.

Every day looks different, and I get a lot of freedom working in HVAC

A lot of women are really nervous to join the trades because it's a male-dominated industry, but for the most part, everyone I've worked with has been super welcoming.

On a typical day, I get to my first job site at 8 a.m. I might only have two calls in a day, or I could have five.

Every day comes with new problems to solve. One day, I was working on a very large industrial warehouse, but the next day I was working on residential houses. One thing I love about this job is being able to walk onto a roof and have the freedom to step back for a minute and enjoy the landscape.

I have a lot of outdoor hobbies, so if I get off work before sundown, I like to ride dirt bikes or go fishing. And when I get home, I'm able to enjoy time with my family and not have to worry about the phone ringing with more work.

There are a couple of struggles in the job

The only things I don't love about HVAC are the tight spots I have to navigate, like crawl spaces and attics. Attics can get up to 135 degrees in the summer, so it can be really brutal, but if you have the proper equipment, it'll be OK.

Roofs can also get really hot because UV rays kind of bounce off them and hit you. It can also be very cold, and sometimes I have to work in the rain or snow.

It's our slow season right now, so I'm working about 40 hours a week, but when it picks up in June, I'll be working a lot of overtime — about 60 hours a week — and it's definitely worth it.

I don't have to worry about things like AI taking my job or gas prices

I know a lot of people have been worried about AI taking their jobs, but this is one job I think AI could never take. AI could never walk into someone's home, look at their air conditioning, and figure out everything that's going on with it.

Another thing that a lot of people are afraid of right now is gas prices, but I have my own company vehicle, so thankfully, my gas gets paid for.

My company is very lax: if I need to stop by somewhere on my way home, like the grocery store, I'm more than welcome to. Plus, if I'm short on hours, I can stop by the car wash and get paid while I wash my car.

My advice for getting into HVAC

If you want to get into the trades, network as much as possible. Even if it's just talking to someone at your local Home Depot or joining Facebook groups. Networking can help you make that one connection that gets you a job.

Also, don't be afraid to make mistakes. Messing up on the job is part of being in the trades. If you show up every day with a positive attitude, that's all you need.

Do you have a story to share about working in the trades? If so, please reach out to the reporter at tmartinelli@businessinsider.com.