A Future Electrician STEPs Up

A Co-Op High music student discovered a loose connection in his Fender Stratocaster acoustic guitar. He went online and taught himself how to solder the wires and firm up the connections to the amplifier.

Beautiful music was born. So was an interest in electricity.

Jordan Burgess got a chance to explore that more practical electricians career firsthand the other day when he installed upgraded switches and smoke alarms at a vacant unit at the Housing Authority of New Havens (HANH) Farnam Courts complex on Hamilton Street.

Jordan is one of ten young people 16 to 21 years old selected from the HANHs far flung communities across the city to participate in the second year of its Summer Training & Employment Program (STEP).

Jordan changed out the ground, the neutral, and the hot wire in an upgraded outlet at 104 Hamilton St. under the watchful eye of Weaverton (Van) Whittley (pictured), an HANH mechanical systems supervisor. He was in the fourth week of an intense program, modeled on the citywide Youth at Work initiative.

After orientation and workshops on balancing personal budgets and job etiquette and social development, Jordan has spent from 9 a.m. to 1p.m. daily at various operations at HANH developments trying on or shadowing a range of types of work and careers.

Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. are given over to hanging out with peers, sharing experiences, and mentorship.

Of the ten kids in the program, Jordan is only one of two who expressed a preference for learning and shadowing the building trades. In previous weeks hes spent time learning how to inventory the maintenance departments tools at the new Brookside development at the base of West Rock.

Jordan also learned to lay tile and install floor molding at units in the Waverly Townhouses on George Street.

Of all the experience so far, Jordan pronounced Fridays electrical installation the best because he got a chance to do the kind of work he sees himself entering as an adult.

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A Future Electrician STEPs Up