Hi all,
The title of this thread is a question we have all heard. Many of us have asked the same question. Not so many years ago the requirments to take the test were increased. A person needs more hours than when I took the test and must have a qualified person sign off on a 'punch list' of tasks preformed.
The purpose of this thread is NOT to tell and re-tell stories about how we were turned away. Rather, the purpose is to discuss how we can make it better and help people get the experience they need to take the test.
Recently a group of us were discussing how we could offer training and who our target auidence would be. Below is a summary of the discussion.
Target audience - Steam School graduates. If this is going to work, we need to advertise to past graduates. At this year's Steam School we need to get the word out for next year.
When - Steam School Weekend. If possible, this summer. Any time the current year's class is in the classroom, graduates could get time on engines. Even when the current class is on the engines, the graduates could hang around engines to listen, learn and share.
Training - Offering all the items on the punch list in one weekend is not realistic. For example: Preparing an engine for inpspection. Boiler inspection usually happens before Steam School, a person needing this checked off needs to be around before the inspection happens..
Items on the punch list that could be covered include: maintaining water level*, using petcocks to check water level, bringing an engine from cold to operating pressure, blow down and perhaps others depending on the engineers and the students.
*Maintaining water level would include firing, whether it be with coal or wood, under load. We could have a couple engines belted up to Prony Brakes to do this.
If this is going to work, we need engineers and students to buy into the idea and make a commitment. Asking engineers to show up when we don't know if students will come is a hard sell, so is asking students to make a commitment when we don't have any engines lined up.
We need discussion so we can form a plan that will be brought to the Board for approval.
What do you think?
Jerry Christiansen
The title of this thread is a question we have all heard. Many of us have asked the same question. Not so many years ago the requirments to take the test were increased. A person needs more hours than when I took the test and must have a qualified person sign off on a 'punch list' of tasks preformed.
The purpose of this thread is NOT to tell and re-tell stories about how we were turned away. Rather, the purpose is to discuss how we can make it better and help people get the experience they need to take the test.
Recently a group of us were discussing how we could offer training and who our target auidence would be. Below is a summary of the discussion.
Target audience - Steam School graduates. If this is going to work, we need to advertise to past graduates. At this year's Steam School we need to get the word out for next year.
When - Steam School Weekend. If possible, this summer. Any time the current year's class is in the classroom, graduates could get time on engines. Even when the current class is on the engines, the graduates could hang around engines to listen, learn and share.
Training - Offering all the items on the punch list in one weekend is not realistic. For example: Preparing an engine for inpspection. Boiler inspection usually happens before Steam School, a person needing this checked off needs to be around before the inspection happens..
Items on the punch list that could be covered include: maintaining water level*, using petcocks to check water level, bringing an engine from cold to operating pressure, blow down and perhaps others depending on the engineers and the students.
*Maintaining water level would include firing, whether it be with coal or wood, under load. We could have a couple engines belted up to Prony Brakes to do this.
If this is going to work, we need engineers and students to buy into the idea and make a commitment. Asking engineers to show up when we don't know if students will come is a hard sell, so is asking students to make a commitment when we don't have any engines lined up.
We need discussion so we can form a plan that will be brought to the Board for approval.
What do you think?
Jerry Christiansen
) - this will aid in checking off the last point of the checklist for 'students'
)