By now most children — from kindergarten to college — are back in the classroom and learning everything they can for their futures.
In elementary school it’s all about coloring, learning letters, numbers, how to write and doing basic math. In middle school it’s a little more involved with homework and in high school it’s time to get serious, get good grades and decide what you want to do after your senior year.
As I’ve mentioned in columns in the past, this is where you — a plumbing contractor — can be valuable. You are the one that can drive those youth who are still exploring into the plumbing industry.
FINDING A WAY
I’ve talked quite a bit about being a voice for the industry and drawing potential employees to plumbing by going to area high schools and talking to the students. I heard from some of our readers who were already doing this and were seeing some successes.
What happens though if you have a young adult leaving high school and wants to explore plumbing, but your local community college or university doesn’t have a program to assist them in that career move? It can be frustrating.
Pat Grogan — owner of the Pat the Plumber, Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning in Topeka, Kansas — was feeling those frustrations. Like many others in the industry, he was finding it difficult to land qualified help for his company.
The local community college, Washburn Tech, had trade programs, but none devoted to just the plumbing industry. Grogan decided to do something about that and reached out to officials at the school.
This fall will mark the first classes going through Washburn Tech’s new plumbing program and Grogan, whose company is profiled in this issue, is excited for those first students already signed up for the program.
Grogan didn’t let the fact that the community college didn’t have a program stop him. He talked to the people he needed to there and he pushed until that program was started. He even donated some funds to help it get rolling. That’s dedication to the industry.
TAKE IT UPON YOURSELF
If your local community college or university doesn’t have a program, don’t be afraid to reach out to the president or board of that school about the subject. They may not realize there is a need for such a program until you talk to them.
If it comes down to that school needing instructors, why not offer yourself or someone on your team as a possibility? That could be what is holding back the school from starting a plumbing program and you have a team of qualified instructors.
What happens though if you’ve already approached them and there is no interest in starting a program yet? Don’t be afraid to start something on your own.
You could open a training program of your own for those who are interested in plumbing but have no experience. It’s more work for you and your team training someone with no experience, but it could have big payoffs — like them staying at your company long-term and them learning the way you like things done.
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
How do you handle training new employees at your company? I’d love to hear about techniques that have worked for you and your company. Email me at editor@plumbermag.com or call me at 715-350-8436.
Enjoy this issue!
