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HVAC Mentioned in Internet Magazine


MCC is included in a column in the online magazine Contracting Business.com. Visit <<https://www.contractingbusiness.com/25/CurrentIssue/Article/False/24932/CurrentIssue>> to read the full column. You can find MCC's mention in the fourteenth paragraph below.

Finding Hot Prospects for Cool Careers

Terry McIver

08/23/2006

Leverage Ties with Technical Schools
Jerry Albert, president of Bennington Heating and Cooling, Bennington VT (a.k.a. "benncool" to the HVAC-Talk.com website discussion community), encourages contractors to visit trade schools and technical colleges to find new technicians.

"If you know a kid who has potential, then encourage him to get his associate's degree," says Albert. s

"In the past, it was always important to have at least a high school education. Today, you have to be able to communicate on a college level to get top dollar and be the kind of technician we're looking for. My theory is, if a kid wants to do something, he'll take the steps to learn it."

Albert serves on the advisory board of the Mount Anthony Building Trades high school program, a good source of candidates.

"The teacher steers mildly interested kids in my direction," says Albert. "If I get a positive gut feeling about the student, I'll hire that kid part time as a helper after school and during the summer. I encourage him to go to Hudson Valley Community College to get a degree in HVACR. By the time he graduates, he's comfortable with our company, and us with him. Then I offer him an apprenticeship and all the benefits that go with it.

"When I hire him, I have a 'lump of clay' that I have a good chance of forming into an HVACR technican."

Barbara Keil, president of Keil Heating and Air Conditioning, Riverdale, NJ — and CB 2005 Residential Contractor of the Year — relies strongly on the company's ties to Lincoln Technical School in nearby Mahwah, NJ.

"It's very difficult to find anyone who walks into the door with experience, or is new to the industry, outside of a technical school," admits Keil, expressing a sentiment to which many contractors can attest.

The company attends Lincoln Tech trade shows and other school events geared toward career development.

"When they have graduates, if the student lives in our area, they'll send them our way," says Keil.

Seaman's also relies on a mutual support relationship with Ferris State University.

"We make regular visits there, and they visit us," says Van Kuiken. "We make it a priority to hire Ferris State graduates."

Seaman's also offers summer work for those Ferris State students who want to work hands-on in the field, to grow their engineering education.

Isaac Heating and Air Conditioning has forged good relationships with administrators at Monroe Community College in Rochester, Alfred State University, and the Board of Cooperational Educational Services

"We bring them in, and put them through another four years of Isaac University," says Isaac, referring to the company's in-house training program.

Finding candidates by any means other than a good referral or from technical schools is a gamble.

"We interview so many people, and usually select one out of 50," says Keil. "It's difficult to find people who meet our criteria." Keil says occasional advertising brings people who want to learn, but none with experience.

A less-than-thorough qualification of new employees and their sense of loyalty can cause them to be "here today, gone tomorrow," and thousands of dollars of training and orientation are wasted, or serve to benefit a competitor who offers an extra 50 cents/hour. For that reason, Executive Plumbing, Heating & Air, Corona, CA, provides 30-, 60-, and 90-day programs for incorporating new personnel into the fold.

"By the time we make a decision, we want to make sure they're the right people, and that every proverbial stone is turned," says Michelle Dente, Executive's director of human resources.

"We're not just looking for anyone. We want to make sure new employees stay for the long haul, from training to development."

The main focus in Executive's new and pending recruitment plan will be based on creativity in recruiting, and will rely greatly on credible referrals from current employees.

The program will be modeled after various sports themes. For example, in the "golf" competition, employees will earn pars, birdies, eagles, or double eagles (each of which will be assigned a cash equivalent), depending on how many successful recruits he or she brings into the organization.

Keil Heating and Air Conditioning also uses a reward system for solid referrals from current employees, however new candidates must remain with the company before any cash is rewarded.

"We reward our employees a referral fee if they bring in a candidate, and more if the new employee stays with the company for six months to a year," says Barbara Keil.

Ray Isaac also prefers to hire via referrals from well-established employees.

"The chances of a good employee referring a 'flop,' or a dishonest person, are much less than if you hire someone off the street," says Isaac.

"You have that person's word and their backing of the individual."

Dianne E McConkey
Public Affairs
08/28/2006