Meet the Team Behind The Reno Academy
Real trades professionals, Coaches, not instructors.
The Reno Academy is led by experienced trades professionals who care as much about people as they do about craftsmanship. We don’t call ourselves instructors, we’re Coaches, because what we do is closer to mentoring than lecturing: we show, we guide, and we cheer on every participant as they build real skills.
“I’m really happy to have had mentors like Paul and Justin. They were patient, encouraging, and shared so many practical tips from their real-world experience. They truly care about your success.”
Paul Switzeny: Founder & Director
Photo coming soon.
Paul is a born entrepreneur and self-taught computer programmer who came to the trades the long way around. After moving to Toronto in 2009, he went through a major home renovation himself and quickly saw two problems: it was hard to find reliable, professional tradespeople for the smaller jobs, and the people doing the work were often taught bad habits and treated poorly by their employers.
In 2010 he founded The HandyForce to fix both ends of that, a stable, professional work environment for tradespeople, and a service homeowners could actually trust. The Reno Academy is the next step in that mission: opening the trades to people who are too often left out, and teaching them the habits, skills, and confidence that lead to real careers.
Outside the workshop, Paul is an avid runner and an enthusiastic home cook.
Justin Mohammed: Head Coach
Justin is the Head Coach at The Reno Academy and brings years of residential construction experience to every cohort. He’s the calm voice in the room, the person who shows you a step once, walks you through it once, and then lets you try, while staying close enough to step in when you need a hand.
Justin lives by the phrase respect is earned not given, a standard he holds himself to and passes on to every participant. He’s deeply family-oriented, and when he isn’t on a job site or coaching a cohort, he runs a car club for fellow car enthusiasts.
On the job, Justin treats every client’s home as if it were his own. In the bootcamp, he treats every participant the same way.
Join Our Team
Passionate about the trades and about helping people get their start? We’re always interested in hearing from experienced trades professionals who’d like to coach future cohorts. Get in touch.