Elizabethtown College Engineering students are helping to introduce local high school students to a career in the trades by designing and fabricating a plumbing trainer that was delivered to an Elizabethtown Area High School construction class this spring.
“I was so impressed with how efficiently and effectively this team worked together,” Elizabethtown College Associate Professor of Engineering & Physics, Brenda Read-Daily said. “The team recognized and valued one another’s strengths and were always ready to jump in and support each other on tasks.”
Steven Klinefelter ’25, Toma Yasuda ’25, Olivia Kurtz ’24, and Paige Parsons ’24 completed two physical plumbing trainers, an activity booklet, lesson plans, and documentation proving the activities meet state standards.
“Throughout the project, I developed a profound understanding of essential qualities such as time management, clear communication, and the fundamental importance of enjoying what you do,” Steven Klinefelter ’25 said. “Our project serves as a means of familiarizing high school students with household, residential plumbing and cultivating practical life skills. This exposure allows them to explore the various career opportunities available in the plumbing industry, helping them make informed decisions about their professional paths.”
(L-R): Olivia Kurtz ’24, Toma Yasuda ’25, Steven Klinefelter ’25, and Paige Parsons ’24
Klinefelter and his teammates on the project did their homework by interviewing a master plumber, reading IAPMO’s Uniform Plumbing Code manual, and engaging with others involved in the plumbing industry.
The Blue Jays also enlisted the help of Etown alumnus and skilled-trade enthusiast Ryan Kiscaden ’07, M’14, to complete the trainer as part of their EGR 201 Community-Based Project course that pairs Blue Jay students with community clients to address a specific need.
A manager of Sales Enablement at Watts Water Technologies, Kiscaden helped the Etown students coordinate free donated products for the plumbing trainer, courtesy of Watts’ manufacturers’ representative, Vernon Bitzer Associates, Inc.
“The students aimed to provide an exploratory introduction to plumbing as a potential career,” Kiscaden explained. “There is currently nothing on the market that serves as a training tool to teach plumbing systems in an intro-level and easy-to-understand capacity.”
The project was especially significant for Kiscaden, who graduated from Elizabethtown Area High School in 2003 and is dedicated to advocating for the skilled trades, which are facing a well-documented and upcoming worker shortage.
“The plumbing, HVAC, and electrical industries workforce must grow, and it starts with changing the perceptions associated with the typical skilled technician,” Kiscaden said. “I believe the MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) industry can better celebrate problem-solving, acknowledge how technicians help others, and in turn, develop a positive perception of the skilled trades.”
Kiscaden, who majored in Business Administration as an undergraduate at Etown and later returned to obtain his MBA, is also an author of the NEXT UP TRADES Series, an illustrated children’s book series centered around showing that skilled trades are noble, necessary, and appreciated.
