For most UVM employees, Commencement marks the culmination of the academic year and an opportunity to take a well-deserved break. But for workers who keep UVM’s steam plant running efficiently, graduation day marks the beginning of another busy work week.
“At 6 p.m. on Commencement evening we begin our annual maintenance shutdown of the plant,” explained Eric Berliner, associate director for maintenance and operations at UVM. “We want to make sure systems are efficient and operational—you don’t want to be in a position where you have to shut down unexpectedly.”
The operation includes turning off steam boilers to inspect and repair faulty valves and steam traps in the central heating plant and at several steam stations around campus.
This year Berliner and his crew had some extra helpers—high school students from the Center for Technology, Essex (CTE), one of several secondary tech centers in Vermont. Students in the center’s Building Systems program, which includes heating and HVAC, received a week of hands-on mentoring from UVM professionals while getting a close look at the complexities of running a large-scale heating facility.
The collaboration developed out of a partnership between UVM facilities and CTE which offers 15 certified programs to students from regional high schools.
“Part of my role is to develop work-based learning collaborations, so we’re always looking for partner organizations to take students on job shadows, short career work experiences, and/or paid internships” said Sarah Knight, cooperative career education coordinator at CTE. She said these gigs provide students with experience towards completing the Building Systems program, a credential they earn along with their high school diploma.
Knight connected with Rebecca Myer, a human resources administrator in UVM’s Division of Finance and Administration, to create the opportunity for four students during “shutdown week.”
“We saw it as a win-win, where we can give students a meaningful work experience and expose them to potential career opportunities,” Myer said.
She noted that workforce development is a two-way street. Students often require hands-on field experience before they get their first job and UVM is always on the lookout for talent in a tight labor market where skilled tradespeople are difficult to find.
The U.S. labor department says the average age of a plumbing/HVAC professional is 54. According to Berliner, there are two people leaving the profession for every licensed newcomer. He thinks the visit has opened students’ eyes to opportunities they hadn’t considered.
“I liken it to the experience of an undergrad coming here, set on majoring in history,” Berliner says. “Then they get here and realize there is so much more to explore. Many tech students assume they need to go to work for a plumbing company but there are also large institutions like this that offer a lot of work benefits.”
Eli Fisher of Essex Junction agrees—he is one of the students who participated in the shutdown operation. “I feel like I was making mistakes but learning in a controlled environment, where there are people looking over my shoulder,” he said. “It was cool to get a look inside and realize how much it takes to keep everything running smoothly.”
“We are committed to operating our physical plant as efficiently as possible, which helps reduce our carbon footprint,” said Luce Hillman, executive director of facilities management at UVM. “Partnerships like this also will help train the emerging green workforce in Vermont, one of the key goals outlined in our Comprehensive Sustainability Plan. We need to do everything we can to keep skilled workers like these young people in Vermont.”