Operation and Maintenance Engineering - Steam Plant

Program Overview

Most craft workers specialize in one kind of work, such as plumbing or carpentry. General maintenance and repair workers, however, have skills in many different crafts. They repair and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. They also work on plumbing, electrical, and air conditioning and heating systems. They build partitions, make plaster or drywall repairs, and fix or paint roofs, windows, doors, floors, woodwork, and other parts of building structures. In addition, they maintain and repair specialized equipment and machinery found in cafeterias, laundries, hospitals, stores, offices, and factories.

A general maintenance worker’s typical duties include troubleshooting and fixing faulty electrical switches, repairing air-conditioning motors, and unclogging drains. In addition, newer buildings sometimes have computer-controlled systems that allow maintenance workers to make adjustments in building settings and monitor for problems from a central location; for example, they can remotely control light sensors that turn off lights automatically after a set amount of time or identify a broken ventilation fan that needs to be replaced.

General maintenance and repair workers inspect and diagnose problems and determine the best way to correct them, frequently checking blueprints, repair manuals, and parts catalogs. They obtain supplies and repair parts from distributors or storerooms. Using common hand and power tools such as screwdrivers, saws, drills, wrenches, and hammers, as well as specialized equipment and electronic testing devices, these workers replace or fix worn or broken parts, where necessary, or make adjustments to correct malfunctioning equipment and machines.

General maintenance and repair workers also perform routine preventive maintenance tasks to ensure that machines continue to run smoothly, building systems operate efficiently, and the physical condition of buildings does not deteriorate. Following a checklist, they may inspect drives, motors, and belts, check fluid levels, replace filters, and perform other maintenance actions. Maintenance and repair workers keep records of their work.

The “Certified Steam Boiler License” is a specialized certification required for many maintenance workers. LATTC offers a Certificate of Achievement-Steam Plant to address this need. The core of the program is designed to prepare students to take the Boiler/Steam Plant certification exam, while the remainder is structured to create students who possess an array of skills which would be transferable to a variety of job settings, creating a highly capable general maintenance worker.

By fulfilling the program requirements, students will have the necessary skills for entry and mid level jobs in the general maintenance industry. This program prepares the student for basic electrical, heating and refrigeration, plumbing, and carpentry work, and to pass the “Certified Boiler/Steam Plant” License exam.

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