How did you acquire your expertise in this industry?
Probably a lot of hands-on experience in the field, maybe as early as working in a family business as a teenager. Or also continuing education through training opportunities offered by industry organizations and manufacturers. Maybe there was a key mentor who imparted a lot of knowledge when you were the brand-new employee at your first company.
At Cleaner magazine, we try to be an educational resource as well. Of course, I’m reliant on all of you who have real-world experience jetting a sewer line or lining a pipe. I have more knowledge about the industry than the average person, but outside of a few ride-alongs, I have no direct field experience. I’m more of a conduit. Providing the means for the actual experts to share stories and information that readers can hopefully get some educational value out of.
One person who often shares his knowledge in Cleaner, and another COLE Publishing title Plumber, is Anthony Pacilla, a master plumber who works out of Pennsylvania. An article he wrote appears in this month’s issue.
Anthony first reached out in 2017, offering a piece he had decided to write about his pride in being a tradesperson hoping to instill the same feeling in others. Anthony had an interest in writing, so that initial article has since turned into many more. His output is impressive. He’ll usually send me dozens of articles at a time, which will last me for months between the pages of this magazine and online postings for the websites. I have never once given Anthony an article idea. He’s the one on the job every day, and also is himself a representation of the readership I’m trying to reach, so I trust that he’ll write about topics that are valuable and worthwhile.
Anthony’s article in this issue is about sewer system design and the differences among residential, commercial and industrial systems. When I first read it, I worried if it was too simplistic. That’s something I’m always mindful of. Just because some information is new to me doesn’t mean it’s all that revelatory to you readers. But occasionally I may overcorrect in this department. There is still value in covering the basics sometimes. A strong knowledge base doesn’t simply happen. It is acquired over time, and at some point every person in this industry was at the beginning of that learning process. That is the audience that Anthony is aiming for with this piece — those new to the trade.
It got me thinking about similar topics. How do you approach training for the new employee with no past experience who has to start at square one? What are the basic tenets that help someone get started in this profession? Reach out to me at editor@cleaner.com or 715-350-8442 with your thoughts. It’s this feedback that helps me ensure I’m providing useful content in the pages of Cleaner.
Enjoy this month’s issue.
