Mike Vallee takes advantage of whatever life presents to him. When he owned a farm and had 44 goats to milk twice a day, he taught himself to make goat cheese and goats milk soup. Now, as a Plumber instructor at the College, he’s using the changes required in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to become more comfortable with online instructional tools.
“Now I’m not as afraid to use technology,” he said. “I can’t say I’m a computer genius, but I can give my students what they require to learn important theoretical concepts before they come to campus for hands-on experience.”
Mike, who is a Red Seal Plumber, is now in his second year of teaching at the College and loves to be able to share his passion for the industry.
“There’s always something new to spark the interest of my students as well as myself,” he said. “I love meeting new students each year and being able to give back by sharing my knowledge. The students teach me as much as I teach them. It’s amazing to learn about their interests and what they have already learned in their careers.”
Away from teaching, you can find Mike enjoying his hobbies of cooking, camping, fishing, and whenever possible, working on woodworking projects.
He encourages his students to also embrace the opportunities to learn and grow that will be presented to them throughout their lives.
“It’s impossible to know everything, but never stop trying!”