PHCC-SAN ANTONIO CHAPTER

PHCC-San Antonio Plumbing Apprentice School Volume 1, Issue 1

January 2015

PHCC-San Antonio Apprenticeship Committee: Co Chairs: Randy Hunter, REC Industries George Saliba, George Plumbing Secretary: Earl Hamilton, Retired Master Plumber

Carter Ramzel, Benchmark Plumbing Perry Beyer Jr, Beyer Plumbing Kevin Chambliss, Chambliss Plumbing Joshua Scott, St Philips College Heidi Trimble, PHCC-San Antonio Instructors: Year One & Two: Justin Lowe Year Three: Steve Short

Thanks & Great Job! The PHCC-SA Plumbing Apprentice program is half way through its second year and things are moving forward, looking good! The program has grown to include 39 students and two great teachers. Justin Lowe and Steven Short have worked together to bring these students the information and skill that is necessary to succeed in the Plumbing industry today. To our hard working teachers, that take time after working their regular jobs to unselfishly dedicate their evenings to training these young men, PHCC-SA says, “Thanks and Great job”. This Apprenticeship Program is approved by the Department of Labor so the companies that are involved with Government contracts can satisfy the requirements imposed by the Davis Bacon Act. The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners has also approved this course which includes the, OSHA 10 requirements, the 16 hours of Continuing Ed, and all Code courses required of the apprentices to qualify for the Journeyman test. This endorsement also allows a student the opportunity to take the Master Plumbers test one year after successfully passing the Journeyman test. A Journeyman that has not attended a Program of this caliber is required to wait 4 years. The fabulous facilities at St Phillips College Southwest Campus have provided the apprentices, your apprentices, with the ability to learn and practice the trade in an environment that allows mistakes without the lose of valuable time. With this large warehouse type shop the students are going to experience many of the endless skills required in our industry. Thank you St Phillips College and Alamo College District for hosting this training program. Thanks to Joshua Scott, Continuing Education and Workforce Development Specialist. George Saliba, George Plumbing Co-Chair: PHCC-SA Plumbing Apprentice Program

OSHA-10 for Plumber’s Journeyman Exam OSHA-10 for Construction in the PHCC-San Antonio Apprentice Classes are part of the 1st year curriculum of the PHCC-San Antonio DOL– Approved program. Justin Lowe, instructor for PHCC-San Antonio is a certified OSHA instructor and taught the apprentices the first week back from the Christmas holidays at St Philips College.

It was critical that attendance to all ten hours of class were attended in order to receive an OSHA-10 card for completion and receipt of a certificate. FIRST AID certification for first year apprentices is also part of the curriculum along with WELDING in year two classes. These classes are taught by St Philips College staff.

Meet your Instructors! Years One & Two Justin D. Lowe Justin is a second generation licensed master plumber who grew up in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduating from Robert E. Lee High School, he attended the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication and attended St. Philips College where he obtained a certificate of completion in the plumbing trades. After earning his degree, Justin proceeded to run a successful plumbing company and acquired a Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester license and became a licensed irrigator. During this time, Justin received his first role as an instructor for St. Philips College teaching lawn irrigation. In 2004, he became the Plumbing Leader with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) where he was responsible for all plumbing, sheet metal, and machinist work. While at UTHSCSA Justin managed to obtain his master medical gas and master water supply protection specialist endorsements to his plumbing license. In 2008, Justin transferred to his Alma Mater, UTSA, as the Plumbing Leader and was responsible for over 4.5 million square feet of plumbing and welding. In 2011, Justin obtained his Masters in Public Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Administration and Leadership from UTSA. Justin is currently the Research Zone Manager at UTSA and is responsible for multiple trades in plumbing, electrical, carpentry, mechanical, refrigeration, and painting. During this time, Justin also obtained his EPA universal technician certificate. This the second year Justin has taught for the PHCC San Antonio Apprenticeship program at St. Philips College. He is currently teaching year one and year two during evening classes.

Year Three Steven Short Mr. Steven Short spent his youth in Tioga, Pennsylvania. He spent his early college at Williamsport Area Community College studying mechanical drafting. Moving to Texas in 1978 he began his career as a draftsman and soon found an interest in the plumbing world. He earned his journeyman plumbing license and at his first opportunity his masters license followed by adding his Masters Medical Gas License in 2007. Today he claims he got here as fast as he could. Steven has OSHA 30 hour certification, Certified Forklift Safety, Scissor Lift, All Terrain Forklift, Arial Lift, Fall Protection, Confined Space and Scaffold Safety certifications. He worked in multiple areas of the plumbing industry including Power Plants, Automotive Manufacturers, University Facilities, Institutional Buildings, USAA, Waste Water Treatment Plant Projects and a variety of commercial application in the combination mechanical and plumbing world. Additionally, this is Steven second year with PHCC working 2013/2014 with the 2nd year group and following them in 2014/2015 as our 3rd year team. Steven with his wife of 30 years, Carrol, have three sons; Steven, Joshua and Matthew. He realizes the plumbing industry gave to him and his family. The passion Steven feels toward the PHCC apprentice school and his students emanate from the sense of awareness and respect he has for the benefit of the plumbing industry. He takes great pride in the 2nd and 3rd year students he works with each week. Within a few short years these fine young men will venture out and become the life and soul of our industry. Soon, his own son will enter the program and the cycle will begin again. No small thing. Page 2

PHCC-San Antonio Plumbing Apprentice School

Looking Back & Forward: As we close 2014, I look back at the path we walked to see the program where it is today. Early on we struggled with instruction, outlines, materials and labs. The entire Apprenticeship Team bore down on the needs of the program and the students to ensure each need was met. The instructors took on themselves to develop relations within St. Phillips College continuing in the theme of partnering with the campus administration. Curriculum Coordination was adopted by Justin Lowe who himself has shown a personal commitment to our program, staff, industry and our students. Steven Short functions as our 3rd year instructor and balances work and family to ensure he presents professionalism and cogent value at every class.

When we take stock of what a few volunteers and as many committed individuals achieved over just 18 short months, you step back in appreciation of this fine program. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak at an event sponsored at St. Phillips College. As I stood there looking over the several hundred faces all intent on what was about to be said, I was struck with the enormity of what the PHCC is a part of and that outreach to many. My humble attempt to encourage these fine young men and women to move forward with their individual opportunities was moving for me and a sincere reminder of the commitment set forth by this staff, all of whom I am very proud to be associated with. The PHCC San Antonio Apprentice Program in 2016 will graduate the first

class into the business community. In 2017 the PHCC San Antonio Apprentice Program will graduate the first class to complete all four years of the Apprentice Program in San Antonio. Wow, is that true? That is very impressive. Keep up the faith, continue your fight, these young people are our future. To all I wish you a happy holiday to celebrate as you do, remembering all the while why we do. ARH Randy Hunter REC Industries Vice President San Antonio Division Phone (210) 490-3700 · Fax (210) 490-3701

PHCC Scholarships Available to Members & Employees National PHCC : The 2015 scholarship program opens for submissions in January 2015. In 2015, we will be awarding 36 scholarships worth $77,500. If your members pay their employees’ way to attend apprentice school, those apprentices can & should still apply for awards. If Volume 1, Issue 1

they win, it will help save their employers (your members) up to $2,500 in apprentice school costs! Click link for more details on scholarships available thru the National PHCC Education Foundation.

San Antonio Chapter Scholarships: 210-824-7422 Ed harrell Memorial Apprentice Scholarship Apprentice Reward Scholarships PHCC-San Antonio Educational Scholarship

PHCC-Texas Educational Scholarship: 800-992-7422

CALL US FOR APPLICATIONS, DEADLINES VARY WITH EACH PHCC CHAPTER! Page 3

PHCC-SAN ANTONIO 10103 Broadway San Antonio, TX Phone: 210-824-7422 Fax: 210-824-1531 [email protected]

www.phccsanantonio.org Dedicated to the promotion, advancement, education, and training of the industry for the protection of the environment, and the health, safety and comfort of society

Cutting Cast Iron

First Aid CPR Defibrillator Certification:

Copper & Soldering Techniques

A copper project with offsets “We finished the project with some destructive testing to open up the fittings to critique the quality of the joint.” J Lowe, Instructor

Practicing Brazing Techniques

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PHCC-San Antonio Plumbing Apprentice School

The Importance of Education By Justin D. Lowe It is an exciting time that we live in. Plumbing technology has advanced quickly over the past few decades. While cast iron and other heavy materials can still be used in today’s plumbing projects new technologies especially in plastics have come to take over the market place. PEX, PP, PVDF, and many other variations of polymers have invaded the plumbing industry. These polymers bring lighter materials, faster joining techniques, and competitive bidding on plumbing projects. However, these advancements come with a cost. With advancement in technology also comes advancement in education. You cannot expect to have your plumbers and apprentices know the new technology immediately as it is introduced to the market place. They must be trained in the proper procedures and techniques to work with the materials in the plumbing trade. Education is the key to a successful plumbing industry. Last year, PHCC San Antonio started a Department of Labor approved apprenticeship program in partnership with St. Philips College. While some of the students have been in the plumbing trade for many years, others were brand new to the trade. These students opened their minds to the possibility of learning about plumbing and the many facets it is composed of. These students know that there is more to learn than simply joining pipe. There is design, material selection, sizing, hydraulics, pump curves, backflow preventers. Other topics that the apprenticeship program will cover are First Aid / CPR, materials and joining methods, blueprint reading drawing, isometrics, and basic electricity with control wiring. The students will also receive their 10 hour OSHA construction outreach training, and more topics that can be covered today. Yes, this is an exciting time for the plumbing industry in San Antonio. We have new technology rolling off the shelves and now we are training the next generation of plumbers to serve the citizens of Texas. Let us continue this new endeavor to formally educate all our plumbing apprentices and have them be well rounded plumbers. LOOKING FOR PHCC-SAN ANTONO MEMBERS TO PROVIDE NEW PRODUCT TRAININGS TO INCORPORATE INTO CLASSES ! PHCC-San Antonio is LOOKING FOR INSTRUCTORS FOR FALL 2015 PROGRAM! Let PHCC-San Antonio know if you are interested in teaching plumbing! 210-824-7422

Apprentices using an oxy-acetylene cutting torch

2013 Brasscraft Reward - Apprentice Scholarship Winners

THANKS TO NATIONAL , TEXAS & LOCAL PHCC FOR HELPING TO SPONSOR A BOOTH AT THE APRIL 8, 2015 CITY-WIDE /REGION 20 CAREER DAY! WON’T YOU JOIN US & PROMOTE CAREERS IN CONSTRUCTION!

Volume 1, Issue 1

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