A-Jay Whitley shares his story on how he became a Maintenance Technician for Westover Companies!
A-Jay grew up with a background in general maintenance and electrical work. He wanted to be recognized for his work and be a part of a company that promoted from within and treated their employees like family. It was here that he found Westover Companies through a friend, and about three years later, A-Jay has been recognized as an outstanding Maintenance Technician.
We wanted to learn more about A-Jay’s position as Maintenance Technician at Valley Forge Suites, so we sat down with him to get the inside scoop on life as a Westover Maintenance Technician.
Q: What is your job title and what are your responsibilities within your role?
“My job title is Maintenance Technician and I am responsible for maintaining occupied apartment homes, completing preventative maintenance and handling maintenance emergencies during and after hours. Even though my background is in electrical and home improvement work, at Valley Forge Suites, I have been able to learn more about plumbing and general repairs.”
Q: Can you describe what your typical day looks like?
“Not every day is typical depending on what is on the agenda and what kind of emergencies arise. Typically, we start by printing any maintenance request orders that come in and prioritizing them between the maintenance staff. The day could either be completing requests or preparing an empty apartment for a new resident. An emergency can sometimes cause all plans to change and it’s all hands-on deck to accomplish what needs to be done.”
Q: Can you describe how you work with the leasing office each day to ensure resident requests are completed in a timely manner?
“Communication is key for us to deliver the customer service our residents have come to expect. Myself and my team stop in periodically throughout the day to pick up new requests and drop off completed requests. Our requests are typically delegated by the leasing office and they contact us for emergencies.”
Q: A Maintenance Tech is known to wear many hats; can you talk about things that you have helped out with or have taken on to make sure things would run smoothly?
“We had a major water pressure surge about a year ago that caused 30 water heaters to burst and create severe water damage to one of our buildings. I like to think I have strong leaderships skills and acted immediately to delegate how to best handle the situation. Westover sent in the troops and really helped us out that day. I kept detailed notes, so the leasing office knew who needed carpet replaced and other work done after the initial clean up. I have been able to participate in the Alex’s Lemonade Charity the last two years, and I was able to help by building and painting a stand for our community, as well as grill burger and hot dogs for the event.”
Q: Can you talk about how your career has grown and changed and how Westover has changed since you first started as a Maintenance Tech at Westover?
“I started out as the new guy but was very quickly able to prove I was a valuable asset to Valley Forge Suites and Westover. I have been with the company for almost 3 years and have been asked to accompany Regional Maintenance for due diligence at new properties, participated in Maintenance Mania and even attended the Denver NAA Convention. This company has grown so much in the short time I have been with them. I appreciate the training opportunities they present to their employees and the prospect of promoting from within.”
Q: What is your favorite part about working at Valley Forge Suites?
“We are a family and work together as a team. We get along well and get a lot accomplished each week. My Property Manager encourages the team to take part in training and events with the company, which has given me an opportunity to meet new employees within the industry.”
Q: What types of skills do you think new Maintenance Techs need to have in order to be successful?
“I feel like you don’t need to come into this industry knowing everything there is to know about maintenance. There is a great team of people that will help you learn new things with patience. I would say the best skill to have is communication and the knowledge of knowing when to speak up when you need a hand.”
Q: Do you have any advice for others looking to be a Maintenance Technician?
“Be willing to learn new things and expect the unexpected. Some days are slow, some are normal, and others are complete chaos. Keep open communication with your co-workers and managers and know that Westover has people you can reach out to when you have questions or need assistance.”
Q: What is your favorite part about working for Westover?
“I have so many reasons why I love working for Westover. I would have to say the sense of being part a team is my favorite. It’s not even my direct co-workers, but the entire Westover family as a whole has made me feel welcome.”
To learn more about being a Maintenance Tech for Westover Companies, check out our blog post Q&A with Westover’s Maintenance Director, Joel Grenfell!
Are you interested in a property management career? Apply to one of our open positions today and start your career at the Westover Companies! And make sure to follow @WestoverLiving on Instagram and Like Us on Facebook!
