Loading...Healthcare workers have always been on the front lines, but how ‘essential’ they are has never been more in focus. Ensuring the industry has enough new healthcare professionals to provide all-levels of care is something Southeast Community College is doing, and they’re doing it well with the help of the NECA/IBEW team.
Sixteen health science programs will move into the new Health Sciences building, allowing students to obtain an entry-level healthcare degree, providing an innovative and enhanced space for future healthcare workers to perfect their skills and master their craft.
NECA contractor Gregg Electric helped transform this building into a fully simulated learning environment, allowing students to learn hands-on with technologically advanced classrooms. Brent Engelman with NECA contractor Gregg Electric raves about these capabilities, “The health science building is different from a full-fledged hospital. We’ve set up the ability to simulate a power outage, teaching students how to perform when they only have their emergency power light.”
Of the project, Chris Callahan, Business Manager for IBEW Local 265 says, “It's pretty important for us. I know when I went out to bid that Gregg Electric secured the electrical, and then Commonwealth Electric teamed up with them to do the low-voltage communication side of it, it was a pretty big win for us.”
NECA Contractor Commonwealth Electric handled all low voltage systems in the new Health Sciences building, including phones, wireless internet, computers, and televisions. Commonwealth also ran fiber optics throughout the building, ensuring that data is sent through the building at top speed, a necessity for an essential building like this.
Apprentice Tracy Giessmann says, “We like to make our cabling look nice and I find that fun. We've just really taken pride in how our end product looks.” And aside from aesthetics, how a project looks – they need to function well too. And clients like SCC, having the peace of mind of knowing they’re getting a qualified contractor and labor partner, is priceless.
The Dean of Southeast Community College Jill Sand says, “The NECA Contractors and IBEW Local 265 did a really great job on this project. I have enjoyed the people that have worked here, not only are they highly skilled at what they do and bring to the table, their ideas and thoughtful ways of doing things, but they're also professional in how they interact with us.”
That’s the NECA/IBEW standard – providing a safe environment, a creative environment, and most importantly, an environment where electrical systems truly work.