Plumbing and heating students
take part in competition
PRESQUE ISLE — The Northern Maine Community College plumbing and heating senior students recently participated in a competition that tested their installation skills for hydronic heating systems. Their work was judged by local plumbing and heating technicians for the boiler wiring, piping and overall neatness. The students have been working on their projects for a few weeks and the judging took place Dec. 11-12, 2013.
Photo courtesy of Northern Maine Community College
NMCC SENIOR STUDENTS recently participated in a heating system competition where judges inspected the boiler’s wiring, piping and overall neatness. Here, Cecil Hafford, inspector for the Maine Fuel Board, carefully checks this boiler for code violations and other problem areas.
“Accessibility is where it’s at,” said Mark Johnson, owner of Johnson’s Plumbing and Heating in Woodland and former NMCC student. “There are electrical components along with piping and other parts of the system that can get pretty tangled. It is important to make sure that everything is neat and accessible for others to work on the system as needed.”
There are many factors in ensuring a safe and efficient heating system. Students spend classroom and lab time learning to work with many types of piping systems including copper, steel and plastics. Their training and skills are put to the test for this competition.
“I look at it from the code point of view,” said Cecil Hafford, inspector for the Maine Fuel Board. “The state of Maine has certain codes that must be followed in regards to plumbing and heating systems, so the students must be aware of these codes and ensure they follow state guidelines.”
First-place winners were the team of Jonathan Shaw and Aaron Legg, second place went to the team of Zechariah Sargent, Charles Orser and Josh Hall, and third place was Colby Johnson and Matt Beaton.
“While all students received a prize, the experience and expertise of the plumbing and heating professionals critiquing their work benefited each student as they prepare for real on-the-job situations,” said Alan St. Peter, NMCC’s plumbing and heating instructor.
Students completing the plumbing and heating program will be qualified for many employment opportunities in the plumbing, heating and cooling field, including service technician, installer, sales or future self-employment. For more information on the program, visit www.nmcc.edu or call 207-768-2785.
