Three representatives from two North Carolina licensing boards educated students in Surry Community College’s Construction, Electrical, and Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology (also known as HVAC) during a recent presentation on the Dobson campus.
Frank Wiesner, Executive Director, and Curtis Huff, Investigator, both from the N.C. Licensing Board for General Contractors; along with Tim Norman, Executive Director, N.C. State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, spoke to a classroom full of students on Nov. 4.
They shared their experience working for their respective licensing boards, as well as what it was like working as contractors out in the field.
Wiesner told students he only had a two-year community college degree and had been hired by a residential contractor with whom he had later partnered. He enjoyed a lucrative income developing residential properties. He worked in the industry for 30 years and then retired and has worked for the licensing board for five years.
“There are over 400,000 jobs available jobs in the nation for people with construction experience,” he said. “There’s a lot of work out there in a lot of different areas; it’s not just in the metropolitan areas.”
Norman explained the 10 different electrical licenses that are available for electricians.
“Many people are retiring from electrical work, and there will not be enough people to meet the demands,” Norman said. “It might not be too long before you can name your price.”
Huff said he was able to do electrical contracting and be successful using soft skills.
“Hard work dedication, honesty and a good personality have taken me a long way,” Huff told the students.
All three men told the students about the importance of being property licensed and how their agencies investigate complaints involving licensed and unlicensed contractors and will work through the criminal justice system to rectify situations. They stressed the importance of following proper safety and legal requirements.
Currently, there are 28,000 licensed general contractors and 12,700 licensed electrical contractors in North Carolina.
Spring curriculum registration at Surry Community College ends Dec. 20, 2019. Classes start Jan. 6, 2020. Call (336) 386-3264 or email studentservices@surry.edu for assistance with college application, financial aid or class registration. Go to www.surry.edu for more info.
