New program trains would-be building engineers

Walter Wheble and Vivian Blanton pose with certificates as they celebrate completing their 12-month building operations specialist/building engineer training with Dearborn Public Schools. Not shown is Tyler Saba, who also completed the program.

Five district employees have benefited from a new program to help train prospective building engineers/building operations specialists.

Three of those employees – Vivian Blanton, Walter Wheble and Tyler Saba – recently completed the yearlong training program, and all were able to get their high pressure boiler operator licenses.

As part of the program, all three agreed to work for at least six months as a building operations specialist, once a position becomes available, before starting to apply to be building engineers.  They are eligible for a special $7,500 annuity if they stay with the district for five years.

Two other employees who started the program already had boiler operator licenses and were able to move into open building positions before completing the training.

Due to the size of the boilers, most of Dearborn Public Schools’ 36 buildings are required to have a building engineer on site during the school day to ensure the equipment is operating properly.  BOS – building operations specialists –  can fill this role after the engineer has left for the day. 

The building operations training is just one of several training programs the district’s Human Resources Department has developed to help grow and support staff interested in filling key positions. Other training programs are available to those interested in learning a skilled trade, CDL drivers wanting to become bus drivers, and teachers hoping to become administrators.