At Skyline College, the engineer’s jobs are diverse. For example, Jimmy Louie, utility engineer, changes lights, repairs toilets, changes belts, and does preventive maintenance. Bob Spacher, maintenance engineer, is responsible for equipment and vehicles as well as maintenance, repair and upkeep. Tony Vassalle, maintenance engineer, does plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry to keep the campus operational, and Tony Gulli, chief maintenance engineer of the Facilities Department, is in charge of the other engineers as well as helping them.

Now, Skyline’s engineers are working with contractors on the construction of the school’s buildings. But they are not involved with the project unless the contractors do some damage that affects the campus. For example, a problem occurred with the streetlights.

“The contractors were excavating by building 3, and they took out the streetlights, cut the wires, and burned them,” Spacher said. “The light supervisor found out that the lights weren’t working, told Tony [Gulli], and Tony told me.” After doing some diagnostics, they found out that the wires were broken. Gulli and Spacher went down to the site of the problem, bound the wires and spliced them until their electrician was able to fix it.

Skyline’s Engineers are currently working with SMC’s general contractors: Hensel Phelps, on the building project that is on the new buildings 6 and 7A, Bothman, on the Seismic Upgrade and Modernization Project on building 3, and John Plane, on the Seismic Upgrade and Modernization Project on building 8, and the Auto Shop.

Skyline’s engineers are also used as a reference for the other contractors because they have the knowledge and experience of existing systems throughout the campus. SMC, and its general contractors, have to rely on 20- year -old construction drawings when doing the project. These documents detail what’s underground, although passersby cannot see it. If the contractors see something that’s not located in the documents, they ask Skyline’s engineers what to do.

“We’re proud were able to provide technical information and support because of our long tenure here,” Gulli said. “It’s along with our hours at the college and we will make our best effort to insure that safety of the students and staff is a priority.”

Skyline’s engineers split time between working their regular job and with the project.

“10-15% of their time a month is spent dealing with a construction related issue, but for me it’s like 30%,” Gulli said.

Skyline’s engineers have never worked on a project this big.

“[It’s the] first time we’ve ever experienced this type of work done on this campus,” Gulli said.

At Skyline the engineer’s job will change once they’ve inherited the buildings.

“More demand’s put on us,” Gulli said. “Two remodeled buildings, two new buildings, or possibly three new buildings, including Pacific Heights if the bond passes.”

Vassalle said: “Lot of more updated (modern) equipment, and controls to deal with.”

Spacher said, “If like building 5, more extra work.”

Louie said, “More work.”