Invitation  to  Participate  in  BOC’s  Building  Operator  Employer  Panel  

 What  is  the  Building  Operator  Certification?  The  Building  Operator  Certification  (BOC)  (www.theboc.info/)  is  a  nationally  recognized  training  and  certification  program  that  offers  commercial  facilities  personnel  the  improved  job  skills  and  knowledge  to  transform  workplaces  to  be  more  comfortable,  energy-­‐efficient  and  environmentally  friendly.  The  BOC  credential  is  recognized  by  employers  across  the  country  as  a  sign  of  the  value  and  contributions  certified  facilities  management  personnel  can  bring  to  their  organizations.  The  BOC  is  administered  by  the  Northwest  Energy  Efficiency  Council.        A  BOC  course  is  currently  being  offered  in  Oakland,  largely  subsidized  Pacific  Gas  &  Electric  Company,  where  about  half  the  students  (approx  15)  attending  are  unemployed  commercial  building  operators.  We  offer  a  variety  of  support  to  these  students  in  the  hopes  they  will  “get  a  leg-­‐up”  in  finding  employment  after  obtaining  their  BOC  certification.    How  is  BOC  supporting  the  unemployed  BOC  students?  In  addition  to  distributing  job  announcements  and  providing  job  networking  opportunities,  another  way  we  are  planning  to  support  the  unemployed  BOC  students  is  by  coordinating  a  building  operator  employer  panel  made  up  of  3-­‐5  employers  from  different  commercial  facility  industries  in  the  Bay  Area  (e.g.  health  care,  local  government,  bio-­‐tech,  university,  etc).  The  objective  of  the  employer  panel  is  to  foster  discussion  regarding  employers’  expectations  and  recommendation  in  job  performance  and  potentially  connect  employers  with  qualified  future  employees.      We  will  ask  the  panelists  to  talk  about  the  following  items:      

• What  organization  do  you  work  for,  and  what  does  your  organization  do?  • As  an  employer,  what  are  you  looking  for  in  your  new  employees  in  terms  of  skill  sets  

and  work  ethics?  • Do  you  have  any  specific  recommendations  for  helping  the  unemployed  BOC  students  

“get  a  leg  up”  when  applying  for  jobs?  • Are  there  any  open/soon-­‐to-­‐be-­‐opened  positions  at  your  organization?    If  so,  what  are  

the  requirements  for  someone  who  wants  to  apply?  • Can  you  share  any  encouraging  stories/case  studies  that’ll  help  the  students  maintain  

their  motivation  during  this  transitional  period?    

Where  and  where  will  the  Building  Operator  Employer  Panel  take  place?  

• Environmental  Control  Technology  Center  Room  B-­‐153,  Laney  College  900  Fallon  Street,  Oakland,  CA  

• Friday,  March  2nd,  2012    10:00am  –  12:30pm    

 LUNCH  WILL  BE  SERVED!  

Who  should  you  contact?    Please  let  Mildred  Dandridge,  mildred@seiinc.org,  or  415  902-­‐5681  if  you  would  like  to  participate  as  a  panelist  in  this  unique  opportunity.