For Derek Robbins, becoming an HVAC director and sheet metal instructor was never part of the plan. “Teaching kind of found me. Looking back now, that road seems like a no-brainer for me,” he says.
While the road to discovering his passion for teaching was under construction for many years, the destination was worth the wait. With 13 years of HVAC/R experience in both residential and commercial settings and four years as an HVAC instructor at ABC Keystone in Manheim, Pennsylvania, Robbins has used his passion to help plant seeds of growth in the next generation of trade workers—and has earned the honor of being named ABC’s 2025 Craft Instructor of the Year.
“I believe in breaking the stereotypes about entering the trades with future apprentices,” he says. “A lot of people think the trades are for those who aren’t cut out for college, or that you’re ‘less than’ or not smart enough for doing it. I tell future apprentices the opposite—that if anything, you’re exceptional.”
TAKING ROOT
Robbins met his wife, Jill, in his home state of Massachusetts, where they married and started a family. Prior to his career as a craft instructor, Robbins spent six years in the Army National Guard and four years working part time as a police officer. It was not until he began working in carpentry that he realized when it came to finding the right career, something had to change.
“I’m in love with working with my hands,” Robbins says. “I always need to be creative and change things up. It can’t always be the same old hat.” A chance meeting on a carpentry job changed everything for him. “I ended up meeting someone in the HVAC field on a job who told me that I should come work in HVAC. I asked him to tell me more about it and then I went to school. I never looked back.”
Even after getting his certifications and working as an HVAC/R service technician, Robbins was restless in his pursuit of the perfect career fit. In his 30s, he finally obtained his professional certification for teaching and began working at a vocational technical high school where he spent three transformative years molding young minds.
FULL THROTTLE
Everything fell into place once Robbins began leading an adult class one night a week for apprentices. “That’s what did it for me. I was just enthralled by their engagement and passion for the field. They really, really wanted it,” says Derek. “Teaching that apprenticeship program really opened my eyes to what I really wanted to do and where I want to kind of hone in on my teaching skills.”
Without taking a beat, Robbins dove headfirst into cultivating his newfound passion and began looking for a full-time job teaching adult apprentices. Eager to feed his new inspiration, Robbins and his family moved to Pennsylvania to be closer to long-time friends and extended family—and soon after, a job opened at ABC Keystone.
“It’s a pearl of a job,” Derek says. “The adult programs at ABC offered more freedom, a path for me and more of a connection with the guys and girls in the trade.”
ACT NATURAL
As a self-described people person, Robbins took his natural affinity for building sustainable, interpersonal connections and creativity and intertwined it with his teaching. “I mean it’s just kind of part of who I am,” he says.
“I’m very motivated to help people push forward in both their life and career goals,” Robbins says. “Creativity is a must for me, and I love instructing. But the key is that it’s personal. When you connect on that level, the information just becomes different.”
Aiming to make his classroom environment both light-hearted and impactful, Robbins says: “My hope is that each of my classes form into a little family. I’m very passionate about their growth—not only in their professional development, but personally, too.”
He also reminds his apprentices that passion fuels success in the trades, embodying the phrase “chase a passion, not a pension,” as it takes more than just learning the material to make the big bucks. “I tell my guys all the time, ‘You want to make a lot of money? Awesome, I love it. But a career in the trades requires ongoing training and proof of your competency through your skillset. That’s what I love about the merit-based system,’” he says.
In Robbins’ mind, the merit-based system gives apprentices the opportunity to gain confidence as they develop their skills. “I enjoy seeing their growth,” he says. “When we finish a job and they are all hooting and hollering in celebration, I tell them, ‘Look at it. Look at where you were and look at where you are now.’”
However, nurturing the skills of his apprentices and building a home for them at ABC Keystone is not as effortless as Robbins makes it appear. “I have always felt appreciated here, but we all kind of always struggle a little bit with imposter syndrome,” says Robbins. “I feel like I can always be better. If I’m not leaning into becoming a great instructor by making moves, taking criticism and making progress, then I’m not growing.”
GOING THE EXTRA MILE
Now living the dream, Robbins’ intake for finding new passions is at an all-time high. “I consider myself a multi-passionate person,” he says.
Robbins is involved in initiatives such as Construction Wars, where seventh- and eighth-grade students from various schools immerse themselves in hands-on HVAC/R activities. He also participates in an annual summer camp for girls, where he showcases trade careers through immersive projects in sheet metal work, carpentry, plumbing and electrical tasks. During that event and in his day-to-day as a craft instructor, Robbins says: “My goal is to inspire young women and show them they can reshape this industry.”
Robbins also serves on his church’s building and grounds committee and offers HVAC advice and installations to those in need.
‘A WIN FOR ALL OF US’
As an instructor and a tradesman, Robbins’ devotion to his craft has made him an invaluable asset in ABC’s mission to foster excellence in future tradespeople. Still, winning Craft Instructor of the Year came as a shock. “I was completely blown away. Just working at Keystone feels like I have already won,” he says. “This isn’t just a win for me—it’s a win for our chapter, for all of us,” he says. “The staff is unbelievable here.”
He adds: “It’s definitely the biggest [honor] I’ve ever received. Thinking back on some of the accomplishments I have had from the military, the police force, teaching or certifications—I honestly think this tops them all.”
