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Scott Liess is the owner of Eco-Flow Plumbing, a 24 hour plumbing company serving the Santa Cruz area.

A native of New Jersey, Liess grew up in the plumbing industry while helping out at his uncle’s plumbing company. At the age of 20, Liess began working for his uncle and stayed for two years. He later moved to California, where he freelanced and traveled while doing plumbing work. At 23, Liess moved back to New Jersey, where he attended plumbing trade school for three years.

Liess struggled with school and by the age of 26, as he describes it, “disconnected from mainstream reality” and focused on meditation, travel and healing work. Less continued to do occasional plumbing jobs and eventually realized that plumbing was his forte.

Eventually settled in Santa Cruz at age 30 and got his plumber’s license. In 2008 he started his business Eco-Flow Plumbing with just a truck and a few tools. Outside of his career, Liess finds his passion in music and what he calls “the human potential”. He enjoys sports and, as he puts it, “flow sports” such as surfing and snowboarding.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Training

• Completed an internship in preparation for a plumber’s license in New Jersey
• Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) of California

Lookout: What is your job and can you explain what it is?

Scott Liess: I own a plumbing company. I offer plumbing work and hire people to provide this service.

Lookout: How did you get into the plumbing industry?

Liess: My mother was an accountant in my uncle’s company and just took us to work. My brother and I got into the groove and learned crafts from a young age. I probably started doing adult plumbing jobs when I was about 5 or 6. I was just a little helper, handing out tools and holding things. Customers were also happy to have children on the job. You know it’s a cool thing. Like the Yoo-hoo [drink] The factory was right there so you went to the factory and they gave you Yoo-hoos.

Lookout: Can you describe how you became the owner of Eco-Flow Plumbing?

Read: Reluctantly. I’ve tried different things. I wanted to become a yoga teacher or take the healing path of psychotherapy. School just wasn’t my thing at all and I had big problems at school. I tried and it didn’t work. It was also difficult for me to take advantage of someone else’s pain or suffering. But plumbing just came to mind. Nobody had to explain it. Anything other than history or geography just seemed alien to me.

After some travel, I just said [to myself], “Look, here’s the deal: you know this craft and you know you can do it.” Also, there was no way I could have worked for anyone, so that was really my only option. You must be willing to sacrifice relationships and fun. That’s not to say you can’t have those things, but when people depend on you for a paycheck, it becomes a priority.

Lookout: What was it like opening a store during such a tough economic time?

Read: It was hard. I drove all over the Bay Area to find work, but it was nice because I didn’t have overhead. it was just me I had a truck with tools and equipment. Then I just kind of slowly walked on. I worked alone for five years. As I said, I didn’t want to start because I didn’t know if I wanted to be all-in. I wasn’t sure I wanted to give him that much energy. But then life happens and you find yourself [saying], “I’ve gone so far, let’s keep going.” They start hiring people and getting pay stubs, get a little bigger, buy more trucks and equipment. Life goes on.

Lookout: Can you describe what a typical day at work looks like for you as an owner?

Liess: The typical day for me is usually a sauna or jacuzzi, then a cold bath and coffee. Then I make sure the guys know where to go and that they are prepared and know what materials and equipment they need to take with them. I am currently wearing several hats. I answer the phone, I’m busy scheduling appointments, preparing estimates and looking for new employees. Then I answer questions throughout the day [that] the guys might have, and [they] FaceTime me about the problems at work. At around 12 o’clock I go to CrossFit. I will come back [to the office] Sometimes go into the field and check on the staff, do quality control and make sure they are doing what they promise. One thing about the trades is that you constantly do quality control. I finish around 3-3:30pm

Lookout: What was a typical day like for you when you were a plumber?

Liess: It’s a grind, that’s a trading thing. You start at 7 or 8 in the morning and you’re out all day. The beauty of our work is that you travel the world. So if you want to have lunch, get it at your favorite place. You meet different people and are never stuck in one place for more than a few hours. For someone like me, there’s no way I can work in a booth behind the screen for more than a few hours a day.

(Kevin Painchaud / Santa Cruz Viewpoint)

Lookout: What are your favorite things to do and your biggest challenges?

Liess: Well, my favorite part of the job is the people. The biggest challenges of the job are [also] people, but that’s partly true. The job itself is hard work. You tend to people’s feces, you crawl under houses, you work at busy intersections. Most people want to spend their money on a vacation or a brand new Tesla or acupuncture. The last thing they want to spend money on is a new water heater. We work in customer service. Me and the boys get challenged by people at work. It’s all a balancing act to keep everyone on track and moving in the right direction. You know, post-COVID people are kind of ungrounded and a little freaky, so you can do this. People get scared, they don’t know what’s going on and then they have an emergency in their house. And you must go to her house. We’ve had to learn how to navigate and make sure we’re safe, clean, healthy and that customers are comfortable.

Lookout: Did you notice a difference between your career before and during the pandemic?

Read: The difference was [challenges with] the supply chain. Certain things were harder to get or the shipping lanes were temporarily closed. I remember the San Francisco Bay was full of ships right now. All prices went to the materials. They’ve doubled, tripled and you’ve seen it in every industry. We had to be more creative in picking the jobs you wanted to do, which means letting clients know, “Hey, we’ll do our best to get this, but you might have to wait two weeks.” I think , communication was more of a challenge. As a whole, as a collective in the world, it seems like people are a little nervous.

Lookout: What type of person do you think is best suited for this type of job?

Liess: So for the plumbing service, #1, it has to be someone who just has hard work ingrained in their psyche. That’s how they were raised and it’s just a part of who they are. #2, respect and reverence for work and tools. #3, a good communicator [who] works well with others and [is] a team player. Fourth, someone who is conscious and aware, but also mechanically able to understand things. You can work here and you can’t. You could do labor jobs like digging, sweeping and cleaning but to be a mechanic or plumber you need to be able to see the plan of the job in your head as it will evolve from nothing to complete installation.

Someone in the office who is capable of being an office manager, who is able to understand these things but also understands the guys and the people in the field. You have to understand the customers.

Lookout: Are there specific requirements for your job or specifically for being a plumber?

Read: We are looking for someone who is honest, wants to learn a trade, works hard and shows up. Someone who is fair, a good communicator. Someone has to be honest and respectful about going into a client’s house. Everyone who works for me, and it’s not many, I trust.

I went to a plumbing trade school for a license and when someone goes there that’s great. I don’t think they offer much of that anymore, or if someone went to college and wanted to learn a trade, it doesn’t matter. In California you have to work for someone for four or five years and then you get your license, so you only have to take one test. In New Jersey you had to do an apprenticeship [program] to get a license and the test was much harder than here.

Lookout: How much can someone make in this field?

Read: Somewhere probably between $15 and $20 an hour [starting salary]. Depending on where you are in your career, you can make anywhere from $25 to $65 an hour, maybe even more.

Lookout: What advice would you give to a recent graduate or career changer interested in a position in this field?

Liess: Learn as much as possible, go to fairs and exhibitions. It’s about getting hours. You don’t really know anything until you have those 10,000 hours on anything. If you do the math, that’s 40 hours a week for five years, that’s your average training time.

Lookout: What does the future of your company look like?

Read: We want to grow with our speed, and what is convenient, have the best equipment to do the tasks we need to do in the safest way. I think one thing we like to do is have the most innovative equipment. We prefer using machines to human labor and the guys really like using the technology. Much of the work we do is underground, that is sewer work. So we use cameras that go into the sewers and we use locators to locate the heads of the cameras to find out what breaks are there. We have machines that dig like excavators and we have machines that clean sewers.

Lookout: What are the prospects for careers in plumbing?

Liess: I think it will always be a good industry. As my dad would say, for every toilet seat, there’s an ass. It’s just a part of being human. As humans we need sanitation.

The post How I Obtained My Job: Scott Liess on careers within the trades and the way tech is reshaping plumbing trade appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Build your career with us at the VA San Francisco Healthcare System, where you’ll become part of the nation’s largest health care team, earn great benefits, and enjoy a balanced lifestyle. Working with us is more than a career. It’s a way to show your passion for serving Veterans. We want to help you develop your unique talents as you work to improve the lives of Veterans and their families. As the largest health care system in the US, the career opportunities are endless, matched with the fulfillment that comes from caring for these brave men and women.

Apply for a job at the VA San Francisco Healthcare System

When you’re ready to apply, just follow the “How to Apply” and “Required Documents” instructions in each job announcement. They’re your primary guide for applying for our openings. Except for a few health care jobs, most positions require online applications. So, it’s important to fully complete the online application process to receive your email confirmation. If you need help or have questions, please call or email the person listed in the “Agency Contact Information” section near the bottom of the announcement.

VISN 21 is hiring

Now is an exciting time to become a nurse in one of San Francisco VA Medical Center’s expanding programs or facilities. If you’re a nursing professional interested in working for the VA San Francisco Healthcare System, contact our nurse recruiter at 415-211-4810, ext. 2-2851.

You can visit USAJOBS to see all our current openings and visit the VA careers page to learn more about the application process. Pay close attention to the additional forms required if you’re a federal employee requesting a transfer or reassignment, or if you’re seeking Veterans’ preference.

Explore VA careers

Visit the VA careers page to easily find VA jobs. You can search by either location or keywords.

Check out USAJOBS to see current VA openings in the San Francisco, California area.

San Francisco VA Medical Center
Human Resources
building 200
Second Floor, Room 288
Map of San Francisco campus
phone: 415-211-4810, ext. 2-2851 or 2-4200
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm PT

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TROY, NY — Hudson Valley Community College has been selected to help train a pipeline of skilled workers for clean energy jobs that are ramping up in the Capital Region.

Through grant funding provided by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the college’s Office of Workforce Development is able to offer an unprecedented opportunity for eligible students. A subset of eligible students will receive tuition reimbursement and additional support services in pursuing the college’s Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technical Services AOS degree or Construction certificate.

Hundreds of skilled workers for the building trades, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration and high-efficiency heat pumps will be needed over the next several years in the Capital Region.

Hudson Valley Community College’s Green Jobs Training Program is part of a New York State-funded study to measure if offering adult learners skills training in clean energy, along with extra support, helps them to complete training, find employment, and earn higher salaries. The opportunity to receive enhanced support services, including tuition assistance, is limited. Eligible applicants will be chosen by a computerized selection process.

Minimum qualifications for the program:

• must be a resident of New York State for the previous 12 months
• at least 16 years or older and not officially enrolled in high school
• meet additional educational and economic guidelines

Enhanced support services available for a subset of eligible students include:

• Tuition assistance
• counseling
• One on one tutoring
• Resume writing assistance, interview prep and skills workshops
• Job fairs

The post Grant funding hopes to attract college students into HVAC careers at HVCC – Saratogian appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

TROY, NY — Hudson Valley Community College has been selected to help train a pipeline of skilled workers for clean energy jobs that are ramping up in the Capital Region.

Through grant funding provided by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the college’s Office of Workforce Development is able to offer an unprecedented opportunity for eligible students. A subset of eligible students will receive tuition reimbursement and additional support services in pursuing the college’s Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technical Services AOS degree or Construction certificate.

Hundreds of skilled workers for the building trades, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration and high-efficiency heat pumps will be needed over the next several years in the Capital Region.

Hudson Valley Community College’s Green Jobs Training Program is part of a New York State-funded study to measure if offering adult learners skills training in clean energy, along with extra support, helps them to complete training, find employment, and earn higher salaries. The opportunity to receive enhanced support services, including tuition assistance, is limited. Eligible applicants will be chosen by a computerized selection process.

Minimum qualifications for the program:

• must be a resident of New York State for the previous 12 months
• at least 16 years or older and not officially enrolled in high school
• meet additional educational and economic guidelines

Enhanced support services available for a subset of eligible students include:

• Tuition assistance
• counseling
• One on one tutoring
• Resume writing assistance, interview prep and skills workshops
• Job fairs

The post Grant funding hopes to attract college students into HVAC careers at HVCC – troyrecord appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Santa Rosa Junior College’s plan to open a $ 8.1 million construction training center on the Petaluma campus in the fall of 2023 would mark an expanded next step for a growing number of students preparing for careers in construction.

The college already offers adult education in construction, both for those switching to courses in other institutions and for those looking for certificates of professional competence necessary to get and maintain jobs. The SRJC Construction Center is designed to offer expanded facilities, tools and courses.

But the construction industry and educators have tried to encourage more workers to choose the craft, starting in high school. Here’s what happened to programs that have been ripped out of the ground in recent years.

Rick Wells, CEO of the Marin Builders Association, said he had heard of the high demand for motivated, trained and reliable workers at all job levels.

“The higher the skill level, the higher the demand,” Wells told the Business Journal. “This trend has continued throughout the pandemic and is likely to continue as more skilled workers withdraw from the industry.”

Wells said there is an opportunity to deepen existing high school construction education programs with the upcoming SRJC Construction Center.

The Marin County Office of Education’s decade-long regional occupation program has trained several hundred high schools in construction, including over 100 through two new programs in the past four years: North Bay Construction Corps and E2c Construction Academy to Wells. Pandemic protocols have limited current class sizes, he said.

The ROP currently has eight students enrolled. You will be completing the program early next month. An indefinite number will be looking for internships with local construction companies this summer.

The Building Corps currently has 10 students enrolled in its Marin County chapter, sponsored by the Mario Ghilotti Family Foundation, and plans to place half in two-week internships over the next month.

The academy, developed in collaboration with the College of Marin and the Canal Alliance, has 22 enrolled students, half of whom are expected to take part in an online recruitment program in just a few weeks at the end of the six-week cohort. The next cohort starts at the end of this month.

Robin Bartholow, who oversees programs for the North Coast Builders Exchange, said a survey of members mid-last year found the vast majority are looking for journeyman and entry-level workers, and nearly 80% said they are planning on hiring in the US next 12 months.

“Our students graduate from the program with knowledge of the various occupations so they can make an informed decision about the career path they want to pursue and basic skills so they can start strong in any position,” she said. “(The i) industry benefits from the program in that it can meet and teach the students and then hire newcomers who have demonstrated their work ethic over the duration of the program.”

North Coast Builders Exchange was funded by the Sonoma County’s CTE Foundation and supported by the Sonoma County Department of Education. Several years ago, the North Bay Builders Exchange formed the county’s North Bay Construction Corps and has expanded to include more than a dozen high schools. Programs are now in place in Napa, Mendocino, and Lake counties.

Although the pandemic canceled the program last year and many students dropped out of the program, 32 graduated and 19 were offered paid internships with local construction companies last summer, Bartholow said.

There are 62 students enrolled this year, and the two-week graduate boot camp will take place next month. Those over 18 get paid summer internships, and the younger ones work on community projects like a senior center in Guerneville, tenant improvements for a nonprofit, and repairing the Corps Tiny Shelter that was stolen, damaged but recovered.

Builders are swapping member firms in the fields of plumbing, electrics, solar, painting, carpentry and framing, masonry and landscaping and are offering paid internships to graduates this summer, said Bartholow.

According to Letitia Hanke, founder of the foundation, the LIME Foundation has passed 185 students through its Nextgen Trades Academy since it started a few years ago. The program is currently running at a school in Sonoma County as well as other nonprofits serving local youth at risk and owners of the owner of ARS Roofing, Gutters & Solar in Santa Rosa.

“I have a hard time finding people with roofing skills,” she said of her business. She tried to get some students out of the SRJC roofing training program.

Jeff Quackenbush covers wine, construction, and real estate. Prior to the Business Journal, he wrote for the Bay City News Service in San Francisco. He graduated from Walla Walla University. Reach him at jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or 707-521-4256.

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