Members of the Local 449 Steamfitters are currently taking Dale Carnegie Training Courses at the Steamfitters Technology Center. These courses are designed not only to enhance technical skills, but also customer service skills, producing more well-rounded service technicians.
“We decided to run Dale Carnegie classes and open it up to any of our members, especially service technicians, apprentices and journeymen,” said Ken Broadbent, Steamfitters business manager.
Positive relationships and interactions with clients can make Local 449 Steamfitters more valuable to the contractors who employ them. In the course, participants learn how to establish these relationships with customers based on trust and credibility.
“They [participants] learn people skills, how to reduce stress, and improve their attitude and communication skills,” said Dale Carnegie Trainer Megan Oldenski.
The course has been beneficial to participants, with several of them experiencing breakthroughs in their leadership journeys, including Ben Wesley, a Dale Carnegie participant who has worked in the trade for 14 years.
“One of the reasons I took the class was to help me feel more comfortable doing presentations,” Wesley said. “It [the course] gets you out of your comfort zone, taking a little more risk.”
The success of the Dale Carnegie classes has also led Broadbent and other Steamfitters staff to consider permanently adding the course to the building trades curriculum.