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When most people think about hospitals, they picture doctors, nurses, and patients, not the healthcare trades professionals who make the environment safe, comfortable, and compliant. Behind every operating room, every HVAC system, and every patient room light switch are tradespeople ensuring that patient care never stops. During Healthcare Engineering Week, the Healthcare Facilities Network (HFN) spoke with three members of the Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City facilities team, Michael Kunz, Jonathan Enloe, and Dennis Hull, to explore what it’s really like to work in the skilled trades within healthcare. Each entered the field from a different trade background and discovered a career that combines technical mastery with purpose.
From Construction and Landscaping to Healthcare Engineering
“I worked in remodeling, residential construction, even car manufacturing,” said Jonathan Enloe, now a Lead Engineer at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City. “I moved into hotel maintenance, started HVAC school, but didn’t see much upward trajectory. When I found this healthcare role, I realized how specialized, and how rewarding, it is.”
Dennis Hull, also a Senior Engineer, had a similar journey. “I was doing landscaping and small-engine work. My dad was a maintenance engineer at this same hospital and encouraged me to give it a try. Six years later, I’m a lead engineer.” For Michael Kunz, Senior Lead Engineer at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, attitude is everything. “I’ll hire for attitude every day of the week. We can train people on the technical side. What you can’t teach is curiosity, teamwork, and wanting to learn.”
Why Working in a Hospital Is Different
In healthcare facilities management, the smallest task carries patient impact. “When I was in residential HVAC, I focused on comfort, temperature and airflow,” Michael explained. “In a hospital, humidity, pressure, and filtration can affect infection control, equipment, even patient safety. You have to think about codes, regulations, and life-safety requirements.” Jonathan added, “You can’t just climb above a ceiling and replace a pipe. We perform infection-control risk assessments, set up negative-air machines, and manage vibration and noise. Every repair touches patient care in some way.”
The Saint Luke’s main campus covers 1.7 million square feet and includes more than 500 beds, childcare centers, a hospice, and a nursing school. Forty trades professionals manage the hospital’s HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and preventive-maintenance systems. “It’s a massive operation,” said Michael, “but a strong facilities team makes it work.”
The Trades Shortage: A Growing Challenge
All three engineers see the same national issue: too few young people entering the skilled trades. “There’s not a lot of new generations coming in,” Dennis said. “It’s hard to find people who want to do this kind of work.” “When I was in HVAC school, I tried to recruit classmates,” Jonathan added. “They didn’t understand what hospital maintenance even was—or they were intimidated by working in a healthcare environment.”
Michael believes the industry needs a branding reset. “Healthcare engineering isn’t the ‘cool trade’ people imagine. You don’t see a healthcare engineer in movies. But we’re not just maintenance staff—we’re part of the patient-care system. We need to promote this as a professional, respected, and stable career.”
Technology in the Trades: A Double-Edged Tool
From building-management systems to computerized maintenance management (CMMS) tools, technology now drives hospital operations. “We monitor everything, fire systems, chilled-water loops, steam, HVAC,” said Dennis. “Our iPads and BMS dashboards let us manage the building in real time.” Still, technology has its frustrations. “Sometimes just logging in takes longer than fixing the issue,” Michael joked. “Healthcare facilities are always balancing innovation with practicality. Paper still works, but we’re pushing forward.”
A Career That Matters
Despite challenges, all three describe healthcare facilities management as a meaningful, lifelong career. “I started from the bottom, not knowing much,” said Dennis. “Now I’m leading a team, supporting my family, and constantly learning. You get out what you put in.” “There are so many career paths,” Jonathan added. “You can stay in the trades, move into regulatory work, or pursue leadership. Once you’re in healthcare, the opportunities are endless.” Kunz agreed. “Some days are tough, but what we do matters. Without our team, doctors and nurses can’t do theirs. We’re proud of that.”
From HVAC and plumbing to electrical and life-safety systems, healthcare engineers are the backbone of every hospital. They ensure that air is clean, temperatures are stable, and emergency systems work when lives depend on them. For anyone considering a career change, these professionals have a message: you can do this. “If you’re mechanically inclined and want steady work with purpose,” Michael said, “healthcare facilities management is a great place to build your future.”
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