Eager Construction/Plumbing students hone sought-after skills

Students can earn valuable accreditation for demonstrating what they learned

On occasion, Kurt Boysen receives a surprise visit from a former student. He may not stay in touch with them all, but he often doesn’t have to. Graduates of the Center for Career Services’ have made a habit of returning to express gratitude, and usually to proudly inform their former Construction/Plumbing instructor they landed a union apprenticeship.

In Mr. Boysen’s class, eager students can learn the type of skills that allow them to join the workforce at a young age.

“I joined this class because I really have an interest in plumbing,” said Pelham’s Miles Milling, a senior in the program. “I know I want to be a professional plumber when I grow up so I just wanted to get valuable work experience.”  In March, Boysen’s students will learn how to hand-fit PVC pipes and will soon practice soldering, the process of using heat to join two metal pipes together. They first practice these skills on pipes, then follow diagrams to complete a project at a workstation, and finally build the fittings inside framed walls that are inside the classroom.

“They first learn how to put it together, but not under pressure,” Boysen said. “Then they graduate to where they build it inside the walls as if they’re in someone’s home. At that point, they have to know how to make the pipes fit.”

For plumbing, students learn how to build water lines, gas lines, sewer lines and fire sprinklers. For construction, they are taught in-line framing, including how to build door and window frames and how to install the doors and windows themselves.

“They have to be able to calculate everything,” Boysen said. “They have to space out everything perfectly so that everything they build is in line.”

Throughout the school year, the senior students must also learn, study and pass nine different modules to earn accreditation from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), which provides industry-recognized credentialing and is a valuable addition to their résumés.

This year, with the assistance of AI-aided modifications, the juniors have been given quizzes to gauge what they’ve learned while studying the NCCER units.

“We’ve learned a lot of important safety regulations,” Milling said. “I’ve definitely learned how to be better coordinated with my work.”

That knowledge and skills give Construction/Plumbing students an edge when they connect with representatives of local unions. Those opportunities will come this spring when unions visit the campus.