HCTC Success Story: Vet Center Maintenance workers

HCTC provides training for workers at the Eastern Kentucky Veterans Center in Hazard. From left are Greg Hall, Maintenance Branch Manager; Darrell Murray, Mechanical Maintenance and Operations Manager; and Donald Coleman, Mechanical Maintenance and Operations Technician II. Hall and Coleman were enrolled in classes in the HCTC Heating and Air Conditioning Program.


When Greg Hall, Maintenance Branch Manager of the Eastern Kentucky Veterans Center, needed an employee, he called Hazard Community and Technical College s Doug Adams, coordinator of the Heating and Air Conditioning Program, to get a recommendation.

Hall said he interviewed ten people for the job, but the final decision was a product of HCTC Darrell Murray. At the time Murray accepted the position as Mechanical Maintenance and Operations Technician III and has since been promoted to Mechanical Maintenance and Operations Manager. Murray completed his training at HCTC in May 2010 and holds numerous HVAC certificates and a Journeyman s License.

Murray s responsibilities include maintaining the state-of-the art 90,000 square-foot facility in Hazard which has 187 water source heat pumps, boilers, fans, cooling towers, pumps, large commercial kitchen equipment and a cutting edge building automation system. Besides that, Murray is responsible for direct resident needs such as wheelchair and hospital bed repairs, plumbing and electrical services. We do whatever it takes to serve our residents here, Murray said.

Murray first began work at the Veterans Center in August 2009, prior to completing his HCTC training. After landing the job, he continued to go to school until graduation. The education I received at HCTC was great. While enrolled in Heating and Air Conditioning classes, we covered troubleshooting, electrical issues and safety practices. I also took electives in Auto Body and Fluid Power which have been very useful.

I have been to universities in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Louisville, and the personal attention I received at HCTC is far better than those big campuses. Murray said. My experience at HCTC has been top notch!
Hall said he is extremely thankful to Doug Adams for the training he offers and for recommending Murray. It provides a qualified pool of future employees for us to choose from. Darrell is a Godsend to our facility and with the help of several folks at HCTC we were able to get into contact with him, Hall said.

HCTC also is the first choice for Greg Hall when he needs Continuing Education each year. It s so convenient and I appreciate the training offered.

Hall and Murray encouraged another employee, Donald Coleman, to keep up his education. Coleman is the Mechanical Maintenance and Operations Technician II at the Center and he is working full-time while attending HCTC classes, working towards his associate degree. They motivated me to go to school, noted Coleman, age 34.

Hall, Murray, and Coleman all encourage others to enroll at HCTC, especially if they enjoy hands-on learning.

Interested in enrolling? Call (606) 487-3102.