St. Joseph’s Hospital has been “just what the doctor ordered for two Penobscot Job Corps students learning firsthand on  the job. As part of a Work Based Learning partnership with the Bangor medical facility, Jason Gabriel and Briant Hunt are working full time alongside professionals in the field and honing their skills as they complete the requirements of their Facilities Maintenance trade at the Academy.
“These two are a pleasure to work with,” said the hospital’s Maintenance Supervisor, Raphe St. John. “They have done a great job fitting in with the crew and helping us get jobs done here.”
In a short time, the two PJCA students have been working with hospital electricians and plumbers learning how to:
• upgrade a residential heating system (plumbing and electrical);
• solder copper piping and work with PEX and PVC;
• do basic wiring and repair of switches, outlets and fixtures;
• align pumps/motors and identify different types of couplings and   operations;
• work as locksmiths and learn general boiler operations.
When Jason completes the Job Corps program he would like a career in his trade and eventually manage his own Facilities Maintenance company — having others work for him. Briant has been accepted into Advanced Job Corps Training at the Oneonta Center in New York State studying in the Overhead Linesmen program.