“Why do we need to know this?”

Oct. 8, 2014
I've been preparing for another year in front of the classroom This year I'll be teaching hydronics, isometric drawing and related math All the preparation in the world would never have prepared me for a very memorable guy in my class: Andy Half way into heat load calculations, Andy raised his hand. His question: Why do we need to know this? Now it's never easy to sit through a class on a subject you've got little interest in, and for Andy this was one of those classes I reminded Andy that he will change jobs, shops and interests many times down the road to retirement

The cooler weather and shorter days have marked the beginning of the end for A/C tuneups, hot and muggy jobsites and even short sleeves for some of us here in the northland. It’s also back to school time. Of course I’m talking about trade schools and apprenticeship programs.

Just a few weeks ago The Lovely Heather and I were school shopping for our boys. This of course means for me that more class time is just around the corner. Well, in the few weeks since I’ve been preparing for another year in front of the classroom, it’s an exciting time I admit, but in the almost ten years since I started teaching I haven’t found it any easier to reach the point when I feel completely prepared and ready for that first night of class. I guess you could say there’s a slight feeling of anxiety still for the teacher, much the same as the student. Experience is on my side, however, so I try to keep in mind that everything will play out smoothly in the end; even if there are a couple speed bumps along the way.

This year I’ll be teaching hydronics, isometric drawing and related math. Each class is one that I’ve taught in the past, so I’ve got a pretty good feeling this time around but just a couple years ago I had much of the same feelings only to hit a few of those so-called speed bumps along the way.

It only took a couple of nights before I came to the realization that all the preparation in the world would probably never have prepared me for a very memorable guy in my class: Andy. You see Andy had a question-everything-set-before him way and that is great, but it can also make for a very long night of class for me and everyone else in the room.

Now hear me out, I have never expected anyone to all-out take my word for it when explaining the complexities of closely-spaced tees or even the calculation of percent grade. That’s why I also teach the math and method behind these often new concepts to my apprentices in class. But somewhere along the way I just took it for granted that the subjects I teach were approved for and a valuable part of a well-rounded trade education. That’s where Andy and I differ, I guess.

It all started about half way into the down and dirty understanding of heat load calculations when Andy raised his hand with a question. His question: Why do we need to know this? Following up shortly with: I will never use this, I just work on shacks and go on the occasional service call for the shop I work for.

Now it’s never easy to sit through a class on a subject you’ve got little interest in, and for Andy this was one of those classes. All new apprentices eventually find out that their current, in the moment outlook on their career may not be a reality realized even months down the road. We’ve all been there; I never had self-employment in my sights those first few years on the job nor did I think that everything I was made to learn in school was completely relevant to what I was doing at the time. That’s exactly where Andy was at the first year I had him in class, but I reminded [or maybe revealed to him for the first time] that he and all his classmates will change jobs, shops and interests many times down the road to retirement.

Sitting through a dozen nights of heat loss calculations and hydronic system design wasn’t going to set him back considering he was required to be there either way.

That wasn’t the last time I had Andy in my class, and I’ve met a few others since then. My advice and explanation to others like him has been pretty well rehearsed over the years and I can only expect to meet another Andy again. The new trade school year is upon us here in Minnesota, and we’ve got a surprising number of new guys and gals starting their apprenticeship. It’s an exciting time, and I’m very much looking forward to another successful year of classes. As always, thanks for the great feedback in response to my articles here in CONTRACTOR Magazine. I value your thoughts and look forward to them each month.

Eric Aune started Aune Plumbing LLC in 2004 and specializes in residential and small commercial hydronic heating systems and service. He is a graduate of Dunwoody College of Technology and Plumbers Local 15, Minneapolis Apprenticeship Training Program, and is currently a United Association Instructor and teaches for the Plumbers Local 15 JATC. Aune is also founding partner and vice president of mechanical-hub.com. Contact him at: [email protected].

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Contractor, create an account today!