Michigan MCA Associations
Participate In sciencepipeline.com

National Industry Website to Educate Students

The Greater Michigan Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors is proud to be one of the founding MCA Chapters developing www.sciencepipeline.com a national industry website to educate the public about the plumbing and mechanical industry.

Outreach to Science Teachers, Counselors, Students and Parents

This educational website will serve as an outreach to science teachers, school counselors, students and parents. The website content and visual demonstrations are being developed by professionals retained by the involved MCA Executives. These professionals consist of Gerald Katz, President of the National Foundation for Energy Education, Chris Stewart, President of Educational Dimensions, Inc., and Jay Bryant of Jay Bryant's Communications. Their experience and knowledge are being used to develop a website that will be recognized as approved classroom curriculum for use by teachers and students. This will also serve as the pathway for introduction to the school counselors and parents. In addition, onsite demonstrations and programs are offered by the National Foundation for Energy Education. The Plumbing & Mechanical Contractors Association of Detroit is also a founding sponsor of the website.

The website will visually demonstrate internal and thermal energy in motion. It will also provide information about the career opportunities in our industry, the educational requirements necessary to enter, and the excellent wages and benefits. The website training curriculum for teachers will be marketed throughout the country by way of various teaching venues as well as national teacher conferences. These promotional avenues have been identified by our professionals, who are familiar with the appropriate venues. The expected result is to increase the awareness and desirability of working in our industry among the younger people still exploring various career opportunities, via high school, college or trade schools. We have something for everyone!

Other organizations and MCA Executives involved in the project include: John Barrasso, MCA of Connecticut, Molly Forward, Metropolitan Detroit MSCA, Jack James, MCA of Eastern Pennsylvania, Steve Lamb and Dan Bulley, MCA of Chicago, Kathy McFadden, Mechanical Contractors Association of Metropolitan Washington, Alan O'Shea, MCA of New Jersey, Bernard Vondersmith, MCA of Maryland, Richard J. Sawhill, ARCA/MCA of Southern California along with Sandra Miller, Greater Michigan PMCA.

We sincerely hope that other MCA Chapters in the state will follow our lead and become involved in this extremely important program.

Greater Michigan PMC Partners with National Foundation for Energy Education

In its ever-increasing efforts to educate our youth on the extraordinary benefits of a career in the plumbing and mechanical industry, the Greater Michigan PMC has contracted with the National Foundation for Energy Education to work directly with our local science instructors to achieve this goal. Brought to the attention of the Greater Michigan and Detroit PMC's by Kathy McFadden of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Metropolitan Washington, the NFEE has been wonderfully successful for their organizations.

The program uses several demonstrations and video clips, with a professional taking students to the next level in their studies. It shows them the practical application of the science concepts they have studied. The following concepts and applications will be demonstrated and explained:

• The relationship between Newton's Law of Cooling and thermostat settings,
  
• Heat flow and the insulation of walls, ceiling, and duct work,
• The cooling effects of evaporation and boiling, and the refrigeration cycle

An HVACR professional from the Greater Michigan PMC will also discuss the technological importance of being able to regulate temperature, and how this ability has changed society. Students will be provided with information about careers in the heating, cooling and refrigeration industry.

HVAC&R Professionals in the Classroom is sponsored by area industry organizations and is free of charge to schools. HVAC&R professionals will require the assistance of three student assistants to help prepare demonstrations.

Students will be provided with written instructions in advance of the presentation and will be given a 15-minute hands-on review prior to the program by the presenter. The Detroit PMC is also participating in this program and has already sponsored their first educational program.

The program ties perfectly into the www.sciencepipeline.com website.

Greater Michigan Student Chapter Makes Final Cut for MCAA National Student Competition

We are proud to announce that our Ferris State University Student Chapter, the country's only MSCA Student Chapter, has made the final cut for the MCAA Student Competition. Four teams from the 30 student chapters for MCAA will make presentations to a group of professionals at the MCAA Convention in March. The contractors on the panel will make the final decision on the winner.

Congratulations to all those who participated in the competition, it is a great honor to have made it this far. Good luck - you've made our Association and the whole State of Michigan proud by being one of the final participants.

Greater Michigan MSCA Displays First UA Star Billboard

To prepare for the future of the service industry, the United Association (UA) developed the UA S.T.A.R. service technician certification program.

The program, supported and endorsed by the MSCA, will ensure employees have the skills needed to do their jobs efficiently and safely.

Contractors who employ UA S.T.A.R. certified technicians are guaranteed they have the best-trained heating and cooling technicians in the industry, giving them a marketing advantage.

The UA and MSCA have developed a total marketing program to provide customers and potential technician employees with information about the S.T.A.R. program. The Marketing Program includes TV and Radio Advertisements, Newspaper and Magazine Advertisements, Supply House Brochures, along with Billboards, like the one pictured above. As local chapters work to make UA S.T.A.R. known in their area, the MSCA and UA will be running national commercials and advertisements.

Greater Michigan PMC Elected to 2003 Associations Advance America Honor Roll

Greater Michigan PMC has been elected to the 2003 Associations Advance America Honor Roll, a national awards competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Washington, DC.

Greater Michigan PMC received the award for its Michigan Construction Careers Initiative / website - www.MIConstructionCareers.org

The website was produced to answer PMC Members and the Michigan Construction User/Owners concern of where our employees will come from in the future. It was determined to be the best possible way to solicit applicants for apprenticeships, journey workers, professionals and office personnel. The PMC continuously works toward developing new and inventive ways to make successful contacts with students, counselors, parents, and school personnel on the variety and extent of career options and college education in the construction industry.

When developed it was a first of its kind website for the construction industry in this country. It utilized the technology that students today are most comfortable with to expose them to the tremendous opportunities in the construction industry. The site answers the questions of students, counselors, teachers and other potential applicants.

This pioneering Website has provided appreciable results. Training Programs are reporting more qualified applicants from contacts with the site. As shown above, our program went from previously receiving mainly applicants with high school diplomas and GED's to 67% of the last intake's applicants having greater than a high school education.

Now in its 13th year, the prestigious Associations Advance America Awards program recognizes associations that propel America forward - with innovative projects in education, skills training, standards-setting, business and social innovation, knowledge creation, citizenship, and community service. Although association activities have a powerful impact on everyday life, they often go unnoticed by the general public.

"Greater Michigan PMC's program truly embodies the spirit of the Associations Advance America campaign. It is an honor and an inspiration to showcase this activity as an example of the many contributions associations are making to advance American society," remarked ASAE President Michael S. Olson, CAE.