02/12/1997

Four AU Staffers Earn Alabama Electrician's Licenses

AUBURN, Ala. - Four Auburn University staff members have passed the state examination that qualified them to receive journeyman electrician's licenses, which will increase AU's ability to maintain, repair and upgrade campus electrical systems without having to hire outside contractors.

Three of the four licensed electricians work for the AU Facilities Division Electrical Shop: Steve Kirk, Jonathan Cullars and Shawn Harrelson. The fourth -- Derek DeLamar -- works with the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) Department of Research Operations.

Kirk, who has worked at Auburn since 1992, is from Little Texas (a community near Tuskegee). Cullars, who has worked at Auburn since 1987, is from Tallassee. Harrelson, who has worked at Auburn since 1992, is from Dadeville. DeLamar, an Auburn resident, started at the AU Facilities Division in 1993 and transferred to Research Operations in 1995.

According to Facilities Division Vocational Training Manager Wiley Hartzog, the men completed an 18-month electrician's training program taught by Facilities Division Electrical Engineer Carl Gagliano. This program is part of a series of classes -- such as blue print reading, basic surveying, computer skills and fire alarm maintenance -- designed to improve the overall level of competence and efficiency in the Facilities Division, Hartzog said.

"Having more qualified people makes it easier for the Facilities Division to handle electrical repairs and preventative maintenance internally," Hartzog said. "If a contractor can do it and make money, we ought to be able to do it ourselves and save money."

"Having a licensed electrician on staff will allow us to complete jobs in-house that we would otherwise have to hire outside contractors for," said Peyton Kelly, superintendent of AAES Research Operations.

The Experiment Station has many old facilities that do not meet current electrical codes and must be rewired, Kelly said. Research Operations is also called on to build new AAES facilities -- such as the plant pathology growth chamber facility now under construction -- which require a high level of skill in electrical systems.

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
by Robyn Hearn

02/12/97